


Fleeting Life

by LittleGrumblrAnna



Category: Final Fantasy IX
Genre: F/M, sequel story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2018-11-07 00:52:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 50
Words: 130,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11047881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleGrumblrAnna/pseuds/LittleGrumblrAnna
Summary: Gaia is peaceful again, but there are loose ends still flowing about the planet. While most are blissfully unaware, a select few continue to monitor the situation and hope to keep the prosperity Zidane and his comrades fought for.A Final Fantasy IX sequel story that follows the original cast and their children.





	1. Bonds

The Theater District's bell chimed into the sunset, echoing through Lindblum as far as it could reach. Another play had come to an end and a sigh of relief spread through workers realizing their shifts were over. 

"That time already? I feel like we hardly got any work done today."

"Yeah, the days aren't long enough." 

They both started putting away their equipment and placing everything where it belonged. One stopped after realizing a specific tool was missing, looking back to their station. 

"You lose something, Lani?" 

"I think I left the hammer on the lift." She grumbled.

"I'll get it."

"No, no-" She waved her hand dismissively. "I'm perfectly capable of getting it myself. Go on ahead without me, Red."

Lani disappeared towards her destination leaving Amarant to walk to their usual watering hole alone. It has been some time since The Battle of Lindblum, but a good chunk of the city was still on the mend. However, It's people were strong and quickly brought back the locations they so loved. The theatre and the Industrial District were worked on feverishly and they had begun to take a shape quite resembling their past selves. Much to every worker's delight, Regent Cid had found the blueprints to many of the structures that were destroyed and one of the first things to be brought back was the The Doom Pub. It gave all the workers, those filled with nostalgia or those who just wanted a place to go after work, the motivation to keep going. The Pub's owner, Bobo, was floored to see his beloved pub revived and vowed to continue serving everyone just as before, finding himself busier than ever. 

"The usual, Lani's too, she'll be along." Amarant told Bobo, entering the pub himself. 

"Of course, oh, by the way, Amarant, it seems you have a guest." Bobo pointed to a hooded figure at a distant table. It waved enthusiastically when Amarant glanced over. Amarant sighed tiredly and made his way over to them. 

"What are you doing here, Zidane?" Amarant grunted, pulling up a seat. 

"Nice to see you too!" Zidane laughed. "I'll have you know this way _my_ hangout way before you laid your claim! I can be here if I want to."

"Don't you have a kingdom to be ruling?"

"I'm not king yet. There's a load of tradition and education I have to go through first before I can get sworn in. It's a pain and Rusty hardly gives me a moment's peace!"

"I'll bet."

"Yeah, today was a breather. Cid and Eiko picked us all up in the new airship prototype and brought us here for the day. I got tired of listening to Dagger and Eiko gab so I snuck out to see if I could catch you. I heard rumours that you had taken up work in Lindblum, or rather Eiko just told me." Zidane smirked.

"Blabbermouth brat." 

"Well, the moogles are really fond of Lani so they might have let it slip as well. Speaking of, where is your lady friend? Eiko says you two are hardly seen apart!" Zidane fluttered his eyelashes teasingly. 

"Eiko says a lot of things." Amarant replied plainly. 

"Oh come on, Amarant. Everyone knows that you two have been stuck to each other since my comeback in Alexandria! Did mine and Dagger's romance ignite another that day?"

"Ugh, do you even listen to yourself?" Lani butted in, finally arriving.

"All the time." Zidane winked at her and she rolled her eyes in reply. 

"Zidane, I know you didn't just show up here to annoy us, what do you want?" Amarant tried to hide the irritation in his voice.

"Fine, i've had my fun!" Zidane sighed. "I do have something to discuss with you, nothing serious, there's just something that Dagger's trying to arrange and we'd like your help if you have the time."

"I might, what is it?"

"Well, Dagger has been chronicling our journey into a novella of sorts. Not just mine and hers, but everyone involved from start to end. She wants everyone in Gaia to understand and to remember why everything happened. No small feat, but I thought it might help if we each wrote our experiences to be added, helping the process along and to help broaden the audience."

"I spent half of my time with you being a battle crazed fool. You really want me to write that slop out for all to see?"

"You weren't that bad-"

"Yeah, I was. I decline. You don't even have to even mention me, I joined late and hardly did anything of note."

"Really? You're going to pull that? I can't tell if you're being humble or stupid."

"Zidane-"

"You should do it." Lani cut them off.

"Ah, the voice of reason!" Zidane grinned. 

"Why?"

"Why not? You think that your maturing is going to discount the fact that you were one of the eight warriors that ended the war? I don't know all the nitty-gritty details, but I doubt anyone would scorn you knowing your strength and how you came to it. If it makes you feel any better Red-" She turned to Zidane. "You can include all the details of how the 'beautiful bounty hunter' was shamed, failed her mission, and had to rely on the moogles belonging to the girl she terrorized to survive. I don't mind." 

"Noted! Well Amarant? The lady has spoken. What say you?"

Amarant met Zidane's bright expression with his usual scowl. He leaned back in his chair, defeated, unable to protest. "I'll think about it."

"Alright, thanks! I'll discuss the details more another time. I should be getting back to the castle before they send out a search party-" Zidane rose from his chair. "And I don't think I could bear being a third wheel any longer~"

"Just _leave_ already." Zidane laughed at Amarant's slight hostility and made his way towards the exit, giving them both a wave before disappearing into the night.

"Alexandria is going to have their hands full with that one." Lani sighed. 

"They'll manage." 

*****

The cool city air was a welcome contrast to the small pub's warmth. Lani stretched contented as she and Amarant began their walk back to the inn, the place they had been calling home for the past few months. Lindblum had a great need of able bodied workers, experienced or not, and offered decent pay and lodgings to all who volunteered. Alexandria was offering something similar, but Amarant prefered the atmosphere of Lindblum. He had no desire to return the life of a bounty hunter and just decided to drift to wherever work was, and Lani followed. She had quickly proved herself changed just as he was and found no reason to complain about her company. 

"It's our day off tomorrow," Lani said, finishing off her stretch. "Got any plans?"

"Nothing."

"How boring!" She retorted. "You should really take the time to enjoy some of the things we've busted our asses rebuilding."

"I take it you're going to." 

"Maybe. I might just end up enjoying the day reading or something."

"And you said i'm boring." 

She laughed in reply. "Maybe I'll just do some reading tonight instead."

"I don't see that happening."

"Oh?" Lani smiled coyly. "And why would that be?"

"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Amarant grumbled, used to, yet tired of Lani feigning ignorance. She took a few steps ahead and then turned to face him.

"Well, Red, actions speak louder than words." 

"Alright, you asked for it." Amarant grabbed her arm and quickly pulled her into a nearby alley. Lani laughed into their kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck. She may have dropped her conniving ways, but a shred of it remained when it came to the man she had fallen for. Amarant was hard to read in general, but she knew the right buttons to push to get the response they both desired.

"Come on-" She breathed. "Enough stalling." Amarant picked her up in his arms and took to the roofs, avoiding all prying eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork by Cowgirl Em: http://cowgirlem.com/
> 
> All references are taken from http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_IX and my many playthroughs of FF9.


	2. Tidings

The halls of Alexandria Castle were quiet save a familiar clanking repeatedly resounding near the knight's quarters. Zidane had been pulled away from a lesson covering Alexandrian regalia by his teacher himself and was now being forced to watch him pace nervously.

"Rusty, would you calm down?" Zidane placed his hand on Steiner's shoulder. "You pace anymore in that spot and you'll wear down the carpet."

"Calm down?" Steiner glared at Zidane and then pushed his hand away. " **Calm down!?** My wife has taken ill and you wish for me to be calm!?

"Steiner," Zidane glared back. "It's at these exact times that you should be calm. There's no sense in worrying over anything until Dr. Tot finishes looking her over. Keep your voice down and wait."

Steiner's anger slackened and he sighed in defeat. "Yes, you are right. I just find myself overwhelmed with worry at every slight situation that causes her pain."

"We're talking about General Beatrix, Rusty. I know you two are pretty lovey-dovey and fawning over each other whenever Dagger or I aren't looking, but I really don't think you need to worry that much. She just had a bit of a dizzy spell."

"But what could have caused it?" Steiner brought his hand to his chin.

"Dunno, it has been hotter lately now that the Mist has cleared out."

"Indeed, maybe-" The door opened revealing Dr. Tot and Beatrix right behind him.

"Beatrix! Are you alright!?"

A sigh left her but a small smile was on her face. "Adelbert, I don't think you needed to drag the successor away from his lesson to be here."

"Eh, i'm moral support." Zidane shrugged.

"As I heard earlier. I apologize for having interrupted one of your lessons, though a part of your expression shows you thankful for a few moments respite."

"You got me." Zidane smirked.

"Zidane! Why you-!" Steiner took a step towards Zidane.

"If I may," Dr. Tot interjected. "I'd like to give my diagnosis before the two of you start a full on scrap."

"Yes, that would be ideal." Beatrix concurred giving her husband a small glower which insanity cooled his own anger. 

"Oh? You are certain you wish for me to tell him while Zidane is present?"

"I don't see any reason not to, the whole castle will know soon enough." Zidane and Steiner exchanged quizzical looks.

"Well then," Dr. Tot nodded. "Steiner, the reason for Lady Beatrix's illness today is nothing to be concerned about, in fact, I feel you'll be quite thrilled."

"Wha-" Steiner started but Zidane punched him in the shoulder to stop him. Zidane wore a smirk towards Steiner's glare, already figuring everything out. 

"Lady Beatrix is with child, a few months along actually. Congratulations are in order!"

Steiner's jaw dropped and Zidane had to stifle snickers at the look of shock and processing the situation washing over Steiner's face.

"W-With ch-ch-ch-" He murmured.

"Rusty, Beatrix is pregnant." Zidane teased.

" **I heard the doctor you oaf!** "

"Oh you did? You weren't moving so I thought you finally rusted over and missed the news. Anyways-" Zidane pushed Steiner towards Beatrix. "As my first order of soon-to-be-king, you're to spend the rest of the day with your wife. Come on Doc, we're in the way here." 

"Hah, Indeed. I'll schedule check-ups as needed. Have a pleasant day you two." Dr. Tot started his way back to where his office was with Zidane giving Steiner one last sly grin before taking off as well. 

"Y-You are in no position to give orders yet-!"

"Adelbert," Beatrix intertwined her hand into his. "Leave him be. You're running the boy ragged and-" She placed her forehead on his and stared into his eyes. "You have something more pressing at the moment." 

"I... Suppose I do." He relented and found himself pulling Beatrix close. "I can scarcely believe it..."

"That you're going to be a father or that 'Beatrix who felled 100 men' is carrying your child?"

"Even you tease me so." He grumbled into their kiss. 

*****

Dagger had surrounded herself for hours with nothing but the sound of her scribblings. Whenever she had been given something akin to free time, she spent it on writing the novella. When she was unsure if Zidane was ever going to return to her, she played with the idea of starting it, but would be unable to for fear of losing herself in her emotions. Sighing, she spread written pages out and tiredly looked them over. Just as she started wishing for another pair of eyes to help her, there was a knock at her room's door. 

"Surprise! Look who got out of lessons early!" Zidane let himself in. 

"Zidane!" She smiled. "How did things go today?"

"About the same as always. Steiner is jamming as much information into my head as he can. How are things with you? I see you've gotten quite a bit done today!"

"Well, I think it's going ok?" She passed one of the pages to Zidane. "I've reached a point where I'm going to need our companion's help with filling in the blanks."

Zidane quickly read over the page and nodded. "The invasion of Burmecia." He grimaced at his own memories. 

"What would be the best way to contact Freya?"

"It'd probably be a good idea to just visit her, in fact, I need to talk to Mikoto about some of the more Terra related things too."

"Shall I put aside a few days for us to make our rounds?"

"We really only need to visit Burmecia and the Black Mage Village. Quina and Steiner are here in the castle, You spoke to Eiko the other day and I was able to find Amarant."

"So that's where you wandered off to."

"Yeah, he'll probably be in Lindblum for awhile so let's worry about Freya first and then we can visit Mikoto later."

"And Vivi." Garnet added. 

There was a twinge of grief that briefly flashed on Zidane's face. "Yeah." Zidane confirmed. "I'm sure he and all his 'sons' would appreciate a visit."

"I've actually been meaning to ask you something..." Dagger faltered a bit. "...About Vivi's letter."

Zidane raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"

"Well, i'd like to include it in the novella if that's alright, as Vivi's contribution."

"That's..." Zidane smiled warmly. "That's a great idea, Dagger. I think he'd like that a lot."

"Thank you Zidane." Dagger rose from her chair and pecked him on the cheek. "Let's let him know when we visit."

A rising murmur from outside Dagger's room stopped the current conversation. "What's going on?" Dagger looked over to her door, concerned. 

"Oho, news is spreading it seems." Zidane pressed his ear to the door, confirming his suspicions.

"News? What news? Is it bad?"

"Quite the opposite!" Zidane laughed. "Steiner and and Beatrix are expecting."

"Really!?" Dagger gushed. "That's wonderful! Where are they? I have to go congratulate them!"

Zidane opened the door and pointed towards the stairs. "Let's follow the noise, shall we?"


	3. Rains

_'Where are they!?'_ Freya thought anxiously as she jumped from building to building. Burmecia's rain continued to obstruct her sight as she stopped atop the armory.

"Freya!" A familiar voice called out to her. Fratley landed next to her sharing the same worried expression. "Any sign of them at all?"

"No, I have searched all over! I don't understand where they could have-"

" **HEY!** " A voice screeched and they both turned sharply towards it. Puck was running towards the armory waving his arms frantically. "What're your kids doing on top of the palace!? **Get up there!** " Freya immediately jumped without hesitation with Fratley following. "Seriously..." Puck hissed. "How do you two keep managing to lose them in the weirdest places?" 

******

"Ferrington! Hold on! Mom will be here soon!" 

"Shut up, Faye! I'm fine!" The wind picked up and beat down mercilessly on the two small Burmecians causing them both to shriek. Ferrington desperately clung to the steeple while Faye sat at the base of the roof curled up in a ball. The wind soon quieted down and Faye's sobs replaced the fading noise. "Ugh, stop crying! I'm the one stuck! Why did you even climb up here!? You're so useless!"

"B-b-but," She sniffled. "I thought I c-could help!"

"Well, you can't! Go back down the ladder!" Faye shook with fear glancing over the roof, realizing how high she had climbed. She slowly inched herself towards the ladder and reluctantly placed one foot on it. 

"Stop!" Fratley called out to his daughter. "Faye, don't move! You'll surely slip and fall!" 

"Dad!" She cried. "Ferrington is stuck up there! We have to help him!"

"Your mother has it under control, now please, don't move, i'm coming up to get you."

Freya landed softly in front of Ferrington and knelt down to his level. "Hells bells, how did you get up here!? Your father and I have been searching the entire kingdom for you two!"

"I, uh, jumped."

"You... Jumped?"

"Yeah, like you and Dad. I watched you do it and tried it out."

Freya's eyes widened. "Ferrington, are you lying to me?"

"No! I really did jump up here!"

Freya glanced over to see Fratley had successfully pried Faye off the ladder and made it safely to the ground. "Well, regardless if you jumped up here or not, you're in heaps of trouble. Come here." Freya opened her arms and Ferrington reluctantly let go of the steeple.

"You don't believe me..." He whined into her sleeve. Freya sighed wrapping her arms around him.

"Ferrington, don't do it again."

"But I wana be a dragon warrior!"

"You are far too young yet for such a path." She brought them both down to safety and exchanged a tired glance with Fratley. The whir of an airship engine had them cast their eyes skyward as one passed by overhead. Both children stared at it in awe as their parent's wondered about it's presence. "Who could that be? And how? There are few airships that can fly without Mist."

"Is it your tailed friend maybe? Zidane was it?"

Freya squinted to try and make out an emblem anywhere on the ship, but found none. She passed Ferrington to Fratley and took after it. "I'll go greet whoever it is, I'll see you back at the house." She was soon out of sight and Fratley left with his children. 

"Zidane?" Ferrington perked up. "The guy who mom traveled with all over the world!? I wana meet him!"

"Did you forget you're in trouble?" Fratley sighed. 

"No, but-"

"No 'buts', unless you want to make your mother even more upset with you."

"I-I wana meet him too..." Faye quietly pleaded. Fratley looked away from her pleading eyes that he often had trouble denying. He placed Ferrington on the ground and then motioned to both of them to take his hands.

"Come along now. If it is Zidane, i'm sure your mother will bring him to the house."

******

"It's been ages since I was last here." Zidane mused while exiting the airship. 

"I came here once as a child, but I can't really remember much." Dagger added. 

"Well, it's my first time here!" Eiko piped up behind them. "It really just keeps raining, huh?"

"Actually," Freya appeared at the front gate. "It comes and goes now that we have been rid of the Mist." 

"Hey Freya! Saw us coming? Take a look at Father's new airship! You'll never guess what it's called!" Eiko beamed. Freya glanced over to Zidane to see him smile slyly and Dagger hold back a giggle. 

"I haven't the faintest clue, Eiko, what is the ship's name?" Freya played along. Eiko smiled triumphantly and puffed out her chest. 

"You're looking at the magnificent Eiko Garde I! Isn't it great?!"

"It is, and the Regent continues his impeccable naming taste." 

"Oh flattery will get you nowhere~" Eiko winked which got a laugh out of Freya.

"Well now, it's not often so many of us are gathered these days. To what do I owe the pleasure of having you three visit me in my own kingdom?"

"I've come to discuss something with you." Dagger stated. "I'm sorry we didn't send a letter ahead of time, and if today isn't good time time then i'll return later!"

"Nonsense!" Freya smiled. "I always have time for my friends. Come, my house is nearby, let's get you out of the rain." The four of them quickly navigated the slippery streets and arrived at the small dwelling Freya called home. The warmth from the windows poured out from the open door as they all quickly ushered themselves inside. 

"It seems my guess was both right yet wrong. I see Zidane but there are more guests than I thought." Fratley observed then proceeded to take down a few more mugs from the cupboard. "You are all very welcome here, please sit, I'll brew some tea to chase away the cold."

"No need to fuss too much, a little rain now and then is refreshing." Zidane took a place at the table. 

"I'll admit it, I kinda want to play in it." Eiko glanced back outside. 

"Uncle Cid would be very cross with me if I brought you back with a cold." Dagger grabbed Eiko's hand and led her to the table.

"Yeah, better not." Eiko grumbled taking a seat for herself. 

"I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I had an occasional romp in the rain in my youth." Freya took her place with them.

Fratley soon placed a mug at everyone's place as their small talk continued. "I'll excuse myself now, I must inform Prince Puck of your arrival."

"Thank you Fratley, are they-?"

"Yes." He answered simply. 

"I see, thank you." 

He gave the group a nod before heading back out. Freya let out a relieved sigh and turned her attention back to her guests. "Now, what is it you wanted to discuss?"

"To put it simply," Dagger started. "I'm writing a book about our journey, one that I intend to publish for all of Gaia to read and understand what happened and why."

"That's quite the undertaking, am I to understand you've come for my help?"

"Yes, if you're comfortable with writing a piece about what happened through your eyes, I feel it would greatly help."

Freya closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "I take it the others are helping as well?"

"Yep!" Eiko chimed in. "I've already written my piece!" 

"And both Steiner and Amarant are in the process of working on theirs." Zidane added. 

"Amarant? Really?" Freya's disbelief was plain to see. 

"It took a little convincing but he seems to be on board with it." Zidane shrugged. "And if we can tear Quina away from the kitchen in the castle i'm sure we can get _something_ worthwhile, though s/he seems to always be busy."

"I suppose it would be odd for me to decline then." Freya chuckled.

"Oh, please, don't feel as if we're pressuring you, Freya. I can only imagine how busy you must be right now." Dagger shook her head. 

"It is all right, Dagger, I would love to help, but discussing this any further right now would not be the best idea."

"Hmm? Why's that?" Zidane raise a brow.

"I wonder if it's because-" Eiko shifted her gaze over to the staircase. "- _Of the two peeping toms on the staircase!_ " She shouted and two small squeals replied followed by the sound of footsteps bounding up the stairs. 

Freya tiredly rolled her eyes. "Yes, that's exactly why."

"We're those-" Zidane smiled.

"Children?" Dagger covered her mouth in surprise. 

"Indeed." Freya got up from her seat. "It was never my intention to hide them." Freya stopped at the base of the stairs to see Ferrington and Faye still peeking from up top. "Come on down, I have some guests I want you to meet."

"Are we still in trouble?" Ferrington called back.

"Yes, but for now, no. Now, come downstairs." They quickly obeyed but upon reaching the last stair, Faye grabbed onto Ferrington's shirt and hid behind him sheepishly. Freya got down on her knees and placed her hands on Ferrington's shoulders. "This is Ferrington, and the one hiding behind him is Faye."

Dagger quickly left her seat and then got down on her knees in front of them. "Hello there." She said softly. "My name is Dagger, it's lovely to meet you."

Both children's eyes lit up. "R-really!?" Faye squeaked. "It's really you?"

Freya laughed. "Forgive me, they beg for stories of our travels every night before they sleep. They know a lot about you and have wanted to meet you since the first tale."

"Are you Zidane?" Ferrington pointed at him.

"The one and only!" Zidane gave a bow and Ferrington's eyes grew wider. 

"Is it true that you kidnapped Dagger?" Faye eye's were like saucers. Zidane and Dagger laughed remembering their first meeting. 

"I asked to be kidnapped," Dagger answered. "And that's a long story in itself."

"I wanna hear it!" Ferrington begged.

"I think it'd be appropriate to tell when you're a bit older." Zidane ruffled Ferrington's hair in reply. 

"Aw-!" He whined. 

"Looks like we have some celebrities here." Eiko teased. "I hope you told them about me too!" 

"Of course," Freya nodded. "Faye is fond of hearing about your moogle friends."

"Well i'm more than my moogles!" She groaned. "What about my stunning beauty and stellar combat skills?!"

"I think that goes without saying." Zidane teased.

"Ohhhh don't start, mister!" Eiko glared at him. Eiko then kneeled down to Ferrington and Faye. "Hey, Dagger and Zidane have some important adult stuff to talk about with your mom, how would you two like to ride around in an airship until they're done?" She looked up and Freya expectantly. " _If_ it's OK with your Mom." Both of them gasped and mimicked Eiko's expression.

"Can we mom? Can we? Pleaaaase?" Ferrington begged. "I'm reallyreallyreally sorry about today!"

Freya's initial disgruntled expression melted away to one of defeat. Eiko was both helping and hindering the situation. "...Very well, but you will stay by Eiko's side and cause her no trouble. Do you understand?"

"Yes!" They answered in unison. 

"Alright!" Eiko reached into her pocket and tossed Zidane a small transceiver. "Radio me when you're done. We won't go too far. "She held out her hands to them. "Come on you two, let's go for a ride!"

Faye and Ferrington happily took her hands and they were soon out the door. "Bye, mom!"

"Be safe!" Freya called out just before the door slammed.

"They'll be fine." Zidane confirmed. "Cid has an insane amount of safety measures built into it so his precious daughter doesn't even break a nail."

"That is reassuring, I just pray that Ferrington's mischief streak doesn't carry on much longer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Burmecian births and aging are kinda a mystery. Zidane rescued a couple in Burmecia and around a month (FF9 timeline) later, they have a group of children who can fully walk and talk. Puck is still quite small at 14 While Freya and Fratley are tall and fully grown in their twenties. For the sake of this fic, I'm going to stick with a similar logic to real life rodents(rats) that have quick pregnancies (under a month) and have young that grow quite rapidly as well.
> 
> I also had to figure out a basic personality for Fratley as there's really not much to go off of. I hope it's sufficient and in-character enough.
> 
> Naming Facts: As the first two original characters appearing, I wasn't too sure on what to name the Crescent siblings. I settled on two older names both starting with 'F' to keep the naming pattern from Freya and Fratley. I decided that they'd take their mother's maiden name as their last seeing Fratley lacks an official last name, and probably forgot it anyhow.


	4. Mages

"Rally-ho!" 

The dwarf guarding the entrance to Conde Petie turned to his visitors and returned the greeting. "Rally-ho! Och, ye hav' a full hoose!"

There was a group of five, four of which being Vivi's sons and the last being Mikoto. The latter looking rather exhausted and holding a list, studying it, paying no attention to the current conversation. 

"Yeah, we have a lot of shopping to do today!" One of them replied. 

"Dinnae let me keep ye, say oor greetin' the rest o' ye!" 

The other three echoed the greeting and then all looked up at Mikoto, still studying the list. "Mikoto-" One of them tugged on her skirt.

"Hm?" She finally looked up. "Oh, er, Rally-ho."

"Ye can pass!" The dwarf moved out of the way and they all filed in. 

"So who's getting what?"

"Ask Mikoto, she's got the list!"

"Mikoto-!"

"Yes, yes, i've got it all organized. Bibi, Gigi, you two go get the sundries."

"Okay!" They both ran off towards item shop.

"...And meet me back here when you're done." She trailed off, sighed, and continued.

"Kiki and Nini, you're with me. You wanted to pick flowers on the Mountain Path, right?"

"I just want to catch oglops..." Nini grumbled. 

"Nini!" Kiki huffed. "You promised to help me out!"

"I didn't say I wouldn't!" He shot back.

"Alright, calm down." Mikoto ceased their upcoming spat. "Let's get going before Bibi and Gigi finish up their shopping."

"Right! Time to get sneaky~" Kiki giggled while making her way to the usual spot they used to sneak past the Mountain Path guards. Nini grumbled something under his breath but soon followed after with Mikoto keeping watch. They easily slipped past them and were at their destination in no time. "There they are!" Kiki ran over to a small patch of flowers blooming next to a root. He knelt down and started gingerly picking them. He stopped for a moment to glare back at Nini who reluctantly joined in. 

"...They stink."

"They do not!"

Mikoto rubbed her eyes tiredly and turned her focus away from the mages to more of the flowers blooming in the distance. She had walked this path many times and only recently had these flowers started to bloom. She picked one out of curiosity one day before returning to the village, only to have every single one of Vivi's sons ask her where she had gotten it. It was true that the greenery on the Outer Continent was usually brought on by the Iifa Tree, but these were different. Not gargant flowers or anything else known to grow there, but a new species. She initially believed it was was just a fluke, but more and more sprung up over time, never on the roots, but invasively around them. She fully understood what it meant after witnessing the small battle of wills.

"...Have to hurry." She absentmindedly mumbled.

"What's that?" 

Mikoto snapped to attention and looked down to see Kiki and Nini with arms full of flowers. 

"...Nothing, just talking to myself." Mikoto shook her head. "Are you two done?"

"Yep! We got tons!"

 

******

 

"You're late!" Gigi stomped his foot.

"Or maybe we're early?" Bibi cocked his head. 

"Did you get everything?" Mikoto asked while taking out the list and looking over their purchases.

"I think so?" Bibi held out the items to Mikoto. The four mages began chatting amongst themselves while Mikoto checked everything. The scent of the flowers were beginning to invade her thoughts turning them into worries. 'You don't have time for this' they barked 'you have to hurry'. Bibi's voice soon broke her free and the whir of a nearby airship followed. 

"An airship!" 

"Is it Eiko's!? Eiko came to visit!" 

"We have to hurry back!" 

Mikoto took a deep breath, chasing away the feelings that almost overtook her. Panic was not something she was used to. "Hey." She called to them and they turned to her immediately. "I have a few more errands to run, are you all fine to make it back by yourselves?" 

"I brought my staff! I'll watch everyone's backs!" Gigi triumphantly proclaimed. 

"Good, i'll return later." She nodded and started back towards the Mountain Path.

"Are you OK, Mikoto?" Kiki called out. But she had already turned the corner, out of earshot. 

 

*****

"It is suddenly lively." A Genome stated. "Why is that?"

"The girl named Eiko is visiting again, probably." Another answered. 

"Again?" Several of Vivi's sons ran by towards the entrance of the village. 

"I wonder what she brought us?" 

"Don't just _expect_ gifts! That's rude!" They all gathered at the entrance and waited patiently until their guests arrived. Eiko was the first to show.

"Eiko!" They all happily ran towards her.

"Hey guys! It's not just me today!" Zidane and Dagger showed up moments after, causing the group's excitement to get even louder. They all surrounded Zidane and began a barrage of questions mixed with the initial buzz, overwhelming him. Dagger moved off to the side next to Eiko, who seemed focused on the crowd. 

"Woah, one at a time!" He laughed nervously. "Take it easy on me, ok? I'm not used to being this popular."

"But we haven't seen you in forever!" One of them piped up. A pang of guilt hit Zidane as he looked into the eyes of the beings that shared the face of his dearly departed friend. 

"Yeah, you're right, and i'm sorry. I'll spend the rest of the day here, how does that sound?" Zidane grinned and they erupted into cheers, the questions starting again. While Zidane continued his feeble attempts to answer all of them, Eiko found herself counting heads. Dagger noticed her worried expression.

"What's wrong, Eiko?"

"There's four missing." She mumbled. 

"Four missing?" 

"I don't see Bibi, Gigi, Nini, and Kiki. They've never missed a visit, ever."

Dagger's expression matched Eiko's. "You don't think..."

"WE MADE IT!" A voice bellowed from the entrance, commanding everyone's attention. Eiko let out of a sigh of relief seeing who it was. 

"We're back!" Gigi announced.

"Welcome back!" Their brothers answered. 

"Zidane is here!" Kiki gasped.

"I should've caught an oglop to show him...!" Nini hissed.

"We're you four out all by yourselves?" Eiko asked them.

"Well, Mikoto was with us, but she said she had more errands."

"She just left you!?" Eiko fumed. 

"It's OK!" Gigi twirled his staff. "I took care of the monsters!"

"That's not the point-!" 

"Eiko." Zidane stopped her. "Let's worry about this later, they're all unharmed." He turned his attention back to the new arrivals, ignoring Eiko's sour expression. "That's a lot of flowers you got there!"

"Yeah! We picked them for Dad!" 

"Wow, i'm sure he'll love them."

"Want to help us place them?"

Zidane gave them a warm smile. "Yeah, i'd love to." Zidane took Kiki's red gloved hand in his and let himself be led to the graveyard, every other son by his side. He gave all the Gnomes he passed a friendly nod and they answered in kind, much to his surprise. He was also surprised to see Mr. 288 still guarding over the graveyard like he hadn't even budged since the last visit. All of the mages grew quiet once they reached Vivi's grave and all silently placed the flowers around it until Nini's and Kiki's arms were empty. Zidane hid a sorrowful sigh looking upon the sight. His biggest regret was not being able to return until Vivi was already long gone. His letter was all that was left by the time he was able to make his way here.

"Boys," Mr. 288 walked over to the group. "I think you should give Zidane a little bit of time alone."

They all looked at each other and then nodded. "We'll be at the inn." Bibi told Zidane and they all left as quietly as they arrived. 

"...Thanks." 

"You looked pained. They are considerate enough to leave if you just ask them, you needn't worry about hurting their feelings." 

"I can't say no to that face!" Zidane laughed. "So I don't even want to ask." Mr. 288 said nothing in return and Zidane knelt down to where Vivi rested. "Hey, Vivi." He readjusted one of the flowers onto Vivi's hanging hat. "Dagger is writing a book about everything, and everyone is helping. I hope you don't mind, but we'd like your letter to be in it." He talked with Vivi for a while, giving him all the updates from Beatrix and Steiner's upcoming child to the strange things he had to study before he could become king of Alexandria.

"I think that covers everything." Zidane dusted himself off. "I'll be sure to visit again soon." He began his walk to the graveyard's exit, but stopped next to Mr. 288. "I don't mean anything behind this, but i'm surprised you're still here."

"...I am too. Of all of us, I never expected to be the only one left, that is, until he showed up one day with dozens of his-" He paused. "His 'model'." 

"He never did tell you where he found them?"

"No, he was far too busy making sure they were happy and telling them about you."

Zidane looked back at Vivi's grave and smiled. "Well," Zidane stretched. "I'd better go make sure I live up to their expectations." He left the graveyard and walked towards the inn, finding Dagger chatting with a Genome on the way. 

"-Thank you, that was very helpful." She finished and the Genome went on his way. 

"Getting some more info?" Zidane appeared at her side.

"Oh, you're back!"

"Yep, gave Vivi all the important updates, now I must go entertain his umpteen sons."

"They're patiently waiting for you. Eiko is currently keeping them company until you arrive."

"I'll have to thank her later, she's like a mother hen over them all."

"She loves them dearly, even being able to tell them apart." They were silent for a moment, only the running creek preventing the silence from being deafening. 

"...It's because she was here when Vivi 'stopped' isn't it?" Zidane confirmed.

"Who told you?"

"No one, I just figured it out by her reactions to them. I'll apologize later for cutting her off today."

"She'd never stay mad at you, Zidane."

"She's probably going to hold a grudge against Mikoto, though."

"Speaking of-" Dagger started. "I was asking the Gnomes about the more 'Terran' things for you and they told me that Mikoto is often gone for days at a time lately."

"Going through a rebellious stage, huh?" Zidane crossed his arms. "I'd love to give her a 'big bro' lecture but if she's not here, what can I do?"

"You're not worried about her?"

"Well, I am, but when we were in Terra and she was guiding us, not one monster tried to touch her. I'm sure she's fine, whatever she's doing. We don't really have the luxury of having the time to go hunt her down right now."

"If we're gone a day longer, I can see Steiner growing grey hairs with worry." Dagger furrowed her brow. Zidane snorted at the thought. 

"We won't give him any reason to, we'll return tonight." 

"Then you'd better get to the inn! You have a lot of questions to answer! We'll be here all night if you don't get going!" Dagger pushed him towards the inn's direction. 

"I'm going, i'm going!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naming facts: Nothing too extreme here, just letter variations on the 'double i' name. Bibi is Vivi's french name but everything else is just a variant. I'd like to think Vivi named all of his kids, but wanted to them to have similar names to his instead of numbers.


	5. Memories

The sun set on the of the Festival of the Hunt while Lindblum guards were still patrolling the streets, killing any small, stray monsters that the combatants missed. With the festivities over, a tired Amarant emerged from The Doom Pub holding two small packages with one hand and an envelope under his arm.

"Of course you'd be here." He heard Eiko's voice from a nearby alley. "I feel like everytime I see you you're going in or coming out of the pub. Don't you and Lani cook anything yourselves?" 

"Coming from the brat who lives in the palace?" Amarant retorted. 

"Fair enough." She shrugged. "I'll let you have that one."

"What do you want, Eiko?"

"Yeesh, are you sore over your loss today or something? Oh wait, you're just being yourself."Amarant turned away from her and started walking. " **Wait!** " She grabbed onto his arm. "Waitwaitwait, take a joke would you? Do you really think my parents would let me out of the palace after today? I actually have to talk to you! They only ungrounded me for tonight!"

"That's what you get for being a damn show off. What kind of idiot sneaks into the hunt and then uses Eidolons to finish off monsters? You gave yourself away instantly." 

"Yeah, but I won the hunt! Everyone in Lindblum thinks i'm super awesome now!"

"Except Cid and Hilda."

Eiko let out an angry grunt. "You know what, just gimmie that-" She snatched the envelope from his arm. "-And i'll mail it for you via Mognet. It's your entry to the book, right?" She flipped up the tab and peeked in. 

"Don't." Amarant stared her down. 

"Oh come on, it's getting published in a book! What does it matter if I read it now or later?"

"Eiko, you're really starting to piss me off."

She folded the tab down and met his glare with a smile. "Relax, I won't read it, promise."

"Are we done then? My food is getting cold."

"Pfft, no. You think I have some psychic powers that let me know your piece was done? I'm actually here to talk to you about the hunt today. While I was the winner, my prize is gone for obvious reasons." 

"And?"

"Annnd, you were the runner up, meaning you get your prize. Father wanted me to let you know to go pick it up tomorrow. You were actually only 10 points behind me, so congrats on coming second!"

"Alright, i'll do just that. Seeya."

"Why do you always have to be like this!? You're not even gonna tell me why you asked for a house? Usually the prizes don't go higher than 5000 gil, but I made sure there was an exception."

"Nosy as ever."

"I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me!"

Amarant sighed tiredly. "It should be obvious. Lindblum is almost back to the way it was. All workers have to vacate the inn by next week. Lani's taken a liking to staying here so i'd rather not drag her around trying to find another place."

"Awww!" Eiko gushed. "You _can_ be nice when you want to!"

"Shut up." He replied plainly as he once again started to walk away from her. 

"I was just teasing! Ugh, Amarant!" She called out to his quickly disappearing figure. "Listen! Father is starting to put the new airships into production! He'll need workers so if you want a new job let me know! Amarant, are you listening to me!?" 

"I'll think about it." He called back. He ignored the rest of her grumblings and picked up his pace until he was back at the inn. He found Lani sleeping on the couch in their room and she hardly stirred as he approached her. "Lani." He knelt down to her level. "Wake up." She mumbled something but didn't move. Amarant began noisily opened the packages and started placing the items within on the coffee table next to them. Her eyes slowly fluttered open to the sound.

"...Red?" She managed. 

"How long have you been out? I haven't seen you since this morning."

Her eyes shifted to look at the window. She shot up with a gasp. " **What time is it!?** " She blurted. 

"Around eight last I checked."

"What, how?" She sat herself up. "I went down for a nap around eleven and meant to wake up in time for the festival."

"Didn't sleep well last night?"

"I... Dunno, I just got really tired." She rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry Red, I was supposed to cheering you on."

"Don't worry about it, I didn't win anyways." 

"What? Who did? Was it that Freya girl again?"

"No, it was Eiko. She made a damn fool of herself too."

Lani snorted a laugh. "Now i'm upset that I missed out on that. What'd she do, sneak in and blow her cover?"

"You got it."

"Wow." Lani shook her head. "I've got to tease her later about it. What did she even ask for as a prize anyways?" 

"We'll probably never know, it was taken away from her and the runner up will get theirs instead."

"Who was the runner up?"

Amarant smirked. "Me."

"What!? Red!" She slapped his shoulder playfully. "That's great! I'm proud of you!"

"For coming in second place."

"Oh, stop!" She grabbed his face and pecked him on the lips. "You know what I meant." Amarant leaned in for a deeper kiss and she happily obliged."So," She finished the kiss. "What is your prize? I don't recall us really needing anything."

"Really?" Amarant looked her straight in the eyes.

"W-what's that supposed to mean? If you're worried about us having to leave next week then don't, we'll find our way."

"That's not what i'm referring to."

Lani looked away. "Then what are you getting at?"

"Lani." He said firmly. "How long are going to try and hide from me that you're pregnant?" 

The blood drained from her face while her heartbeat rushed to her ears. "...H-how?" She huffed through her rising anxiety.

"I thought you figured out awhile back you're bad at hiding things from me." 

******

The sound of hammering and steam engines exhausting filled the air. Lindblum's once proud visage had a large scar on it, but within it, dozens upon dozens workers building it back up. In between these happenings, were many looking to find their path again, starting wherever they could. 

"You're Lani?" The head constructor stared intently at her application. 

"Yes, that's me."

He scratched his head and then looked up at her. "While we do need more workers, I don't think a lady really belongs here."

"I'm not so fragile." She retorted. "I'm much stronger than I look. I can do heavy lifting no problem."

"Well, you say that but-"

"I'll vouch for her." Amarant walked over from his station to the interview.

"Red..."

"We used to work together, she'll be fine."

"Hmm, alright. I'll have you train her then."

Amarant motioned towards his station with his head and then walked back towards it. Lani quickly followed."You didn't have to do that Red."

"Get on the lift." 

Their new days together started there. The tasks were simple enough and the company, though awkward at times, was welcomed on both sides. Days passed as they had before. 

"Laaaaani!" A small voice called out to her. 

"Great." Amarant griped under his breath. A moogle fluttered up to the lift with a cloth bag in its hands. 

"So you're on delivery duty today, Chimomo?" Lani she pat the empty space next to her and he landed there. 

"Eiko made cookies today and told me to share them, kupo!"

"More like use us as guinea pigs." Amarant continued. 

Lani stifled a laugh and opened the bag. "Well, they're not burnt today. I guess she is learning." 

"I already had some, kupo. They taste OK today!"

"I'm surprised you didn't eat the entire bag on your trip over." Lani teased.

"KUPO! I'm not that much of a glutton!"

Lani laughed and gave the moogle a small pat on the head. "Tell her thanks, alright? I've got to get back to work"

"Okay! Bye, kupo!" Chimomo flew off and Lani watched him leave until he was out of sight. She began to turn back to her work, but something caught her attention. A shadow she had seen in the corner of her eye was gone. She quickly scanned the area before going back to her work. 

"You OK?"

"H-huh?" She panicked. "Yeah, just making sure Chimomo got back to the castle!" She did her best to hide her nervousness. Evening arrived quickly and with it Lani quietly leaving alone. No one saw her leave, just as she had planned. She stopped her quick march in the middle of an alley and glared down it. "Enough, you've been stalking me for days now. Are you gonna show yourself or am I going to make you?"

"Such bold words for a lady all by her lonesome!" The shadow came forward, revealing a larger, middle aged man. "They could get you into trouble one of these days."

"What do you want?" 

"Patience now, answer my question first. Do you recognize me?"

"No."

"No?"

"Did I stutter?"

The man laughed dryly. "I suppose you wouldn't with so many bounties collected, you'd be bound to forget some."

"Oh _wonderful_!" She hissed. "You're here for revenge. I always knew my greed would come back to bite me eventually." 

"So quick to understand, and a good thing too, because i'm out of patience. I'm going to pay you back tenfold today."

"Well get on with it already, i'm missing dinner for this." She stretched, mockingly. The man tsked and launched himself at her, only to be met with her fist hitting his nose followed by a Blizzara spell fired his way. The man fell to the ground hard while Lani shook her throbbing hand. "Yeesh, how much even was your bounty? I'm not much of a fighter anymore and you're beyond pathetic." 

"Why you-!"

"Stay down." She warned. "I don't know why you ever had a bounty on your head in the first place, but this is how you get another; attacking a civilian at night. Best stop now before a guard notices us." The man glared daggers at her, unable to say anything in defense. "So are we done here? I think we're done. Don't approach me again." Lani turned away and took a step towards jumping to higher ground, only to be met with a sharp piece of metal flying past her face. She recoiled, feeling it cut her cheek and turned back to the man, who was now smiling triumphantly. "What do you not understand about this situa-" A queasiness overwhelmed her. "-What did you do?" She wheezed. Her sight began to fail her and she crumpled to the ground, desperately trying to find her strength. She was forcibly yanked back up by the man.

"So the mighty bounty huntress falls!" He whispered into her ear. "Amazing what a little bit of toxins can do to you, hmm?"

"Let... Go!" She tried to pull away, but he pulled her back.

"Did you forget?" He taunted her. "I need to pay you back tenfold, remember?" He laughed and then slammed her into the nearest wall. "Now, where to start?" His voice was dripping with venom as he moved his hands to her neck, firmly choking her. 

"St...op...!" Lani tried in vain to push her nails into his fingers. She heard his laughter in reply, it quickly becoming far away. Suddenly it stopped. She gasped for air and found it. 

" **Get lost!** " She managed to hear as the fuzz in her ears cleared. The sound of someone fleeing followed. She held her head and tried to steady her breathing. She knew who had saved her. 

"Red?" She called out weakly. 

"I'm here. He's gone, don't worry."

"I need a doctor, Red. Please help me, I can't walk." She shook with fear at her own words.

"Just hold on, i'll get you there." He picked her up and quickly transported her to the doctor on duty nearby. They took her in immediately and were able to patch her up in no time. 

"She's a bit shaken, and there's some minor wounds, but she's OK. She was hit with a common toxin found in plant monsters. You can take her home when she's ready."

"Got it, thanks." Amarant moved past The doctor and he moved onto his next patient. Amarant found Lani sitting on the stretcher, staring at the charts on the wall mindlessly. She moved her gaze to Amarant as he entered the room. 

"Thank you."

"You're a damn idiot, you know that?"

"I'm sorry."

"You'd better be."

"I didn't want anyone getting involved..."

"And look how well that turned out." 

"I just-"

"Enough. The next time you have some crazy stalking you, don't hide it."

"Alright." She slid off the stretcher and followed Amarant back to the inn, no more words being said between them. The next day was the same, they both silently worked and continued doing so for several more days. It was finally broken one morning on the lift.

"You did this part wrong yesterday." Amarant pointed to some misplaced shingles 

Lani squinted at her handiwork and then sighed. "So I did. I'll fix it right now."

"I'll help you."

"Red, you don't-"

He walked past her and started working on the fix. She decided that protesting would only make him angry and joined him soon after. They were making quick work of it when Lani suddenly felt her insecurities bubble to the surface. She wondered if he was still angry with her and if she asked him, if he'd get angrier, but she spoke anyways. "I can't sleep." She admitted. "I've lately found myself remembering every face of those i've wronged, justified by the bounty on their heads or not. I close my eyes and I see their faces, full of rage and hatred, and I can't sleep." She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, out of tiredness and to stop any possible tears she felt welling up.

"It's no excuse for this." She moved a shingle back in place hammered it down. "And as pathetic as it is, I can't help denying that i'm terrified of the eventual day when the rest of them come after me as well." She laughed bitterly. "Can't say I don't deserve every ounce of this."

"Are you serious?" Amarant stopped working. "Don't even try pulling that."

"Come on Red, you witnessed it firsthand. I would do anything to get my money. Killing Eiko was easily one of my options before you came along and ruined the plans."

"You think i'm some kind of saint?"

"Compared to me, i'd say so..." She trailed off. Amarant placed his tools down and stood up.

"Get back on the lift." He said firmly.

"What? Why?"

"You're going back to the inn to rest. You're just getting in the way up here."

"What is your problem!?"

"Get back on the lift."

"No!"

"Lani."

"You can't make me, Red!"

"Is that a fact?" He quickly wrapped his arm around her body and picked her up like a bag of flour. 

"What the- **put me down!** "

"I can't get you to go back yourself, you left me little choice." 

He jumped to a lower roof and then down to the ground and continued walking as is. 

"Alright! You made your point, Red! Put me down, i'll go back to the inn!"

"I don't trust you to make it there." 

" _At least_ take the alleys back, you're embarrassing the hell out of me!" She covered her face as a group of passing children giggled at the sight. He continued on regardless while Lani prayed no one she knew was witnessing her like this. She felt herself internally screaming at the thought of Eiko or her moogles finding the two of them. Amarant jumped up to the balcony of her room and pushed the door open. He dropped her onto her bed and then closed the balcony door behind them. "What do you think you're doing!?" She seethed, her face red with embarrassment. 

"Stay here and rest." He answered and started for the door. 

"Oh thanks _doctor_ Red! If it was so damn easy for me to go to sleep, don't you think I would have done so by now!?"

"At least try to." He turned back to her. "I'll go tell the boss what's going on."

A bit of fear rose up in her. "D-don't tell him about-"

"Relax, that's not going to be much of an issue anyways."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Because I'm going out now to find the bastard and turn him in."

"Red!?" She got up from her bed and grabbed his arm. "You don't have to do that, this is my problem!"

"And what're you gonna do? Yawn on him?" He pulled his arm away from her and took a step towards the door. Lani felt her emotions starting to bubble up further, a mite of her leftover anger mixing with the anguish she felt on the roof. 

" **Dammit Red!** " She yelled. "I don't get you! Why even bother!? What do you even get out of all this? **Stop wasting your time on me!** " 

Amarant turned back to face her, a different kind of irritation covering his face. "I didn't think you were _this_ dense." He looked Lani straight in the eyes.

"Dense? W-what?" She stammered. His expression softened and something clicked in her mind. She felt her tears returning. "Red...!" She shook her head. "Red, no, you deserve someone so much better-!" Amarant gently grabbed her back in reply and leaned down, pressing his lips into hers. Lani gave him no resistance and found herself returning it, willingly, earnestly, in reply. 

"I guess you get it now." He said as he pulled away. She nodded and he let go of her. "Good, i'll be back later."

"You'd better be!" She tried to hide her embarrassment with anger. He smirked and left Lani to go over what just happened in her head endlessly until it exhausted her into sleep. 

******

"I'm not hiding it from you." Lani closed her eyes firmly to avoid Amarant's gaze. "I was having a hard time finding a good way to bring it up."

"How far along are you?"

"Four months."

"Hmm." He simply replied. 

"You're... Being a lot more calm about this than I imagined." Lani opened her eyes in confusion.

"How did you think i'd react?"

"I dont know, be angry? I know how you feel about kids, Red. I don't think the kid being yours just magically makes the hate fade away."

"Why would I be angry with you?"

"I don't know!" She repeated. "You're a hard man to read so I can't always tell what upsets you!"

"Lani, did you think I'd just up an abandon you?"

Her lip quivered for a moment before she turned to face him "I'm just- I'm really afraid of losing you, OK? I'm afraid that something will hit a breaking point eventually and that i'd piss you off so badly you'd have enough of this."

"You're making me sound like a monster."

"That's not what I meant and you know it!"

"Lani-" He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. "I didn't start this to end it."

"B-but a kid is-"

"We'll figure it out. I thought this might happen eventually, which is why I asked for a house as my prize."

"A... House!? Are you serious Red!?" Lani's face lit up.

"Yeah, not sure which one it is but- Why are you crying?" He was taken aback. 

"I just-" She sniffled. "I'm just a little overwhelmed. What did I do to deserve someone like-?" She trailed off into a sob. He sighed and embraced her.

"This is going to be a normal thing for you until it's born, isn't it?" He grumbled. She laughed into his chest and held him back, feeling like she was the luckiest woman in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought i'd give a little bit of an explanation for this chapter. While all the other couples in the game are clearly shown in game, Amarant and Lani have no real development with them showing any relationship on screen. We know of Lani's regrets and change of heart and we see Amarent grow as a person during his travels with the party, but we really only see them reunite at the end briefly and have the timeline state that they teamed up again. In my headcanon, I always thought that Lani discarded her axe (it's no longer part of her character model after being rescued by the moogles) and gave up bounty hunting as her change of heart seemed to imply that she didn't care about money anymore. Amarant is well, Amarant, he's hard to read and really hard to write. I do my best to portray how i'd think he'd react based on his actions in game, but I apologize if this breaches into 'fanon' territory. 
> 
> So, this chapter was not only meant to set up the later chapters, but show their relationship and how it came to be. Thanks for reading.


	6. Revelations

"How much you want me to write?" 

"As much as you're comfortable with."

Quina stopped stirring a large pot and placed the lid on it, turning to Zidane who was leaning on the kitchen entryway. "Should I start at beginning?"

"The beginning of what? As in when I met you in the marsh?"

"No, I talk about birth."

"Woah, no, I don't think you need to go back that far, just start in the marsh, when Quale told you travel."

"OK, sound good. My life long and boring before then anyways."

"Long...? What are you, an old geezer?"

"I born 1710, pretty long time ago."

"...What."

"What?"

"Quina, you're over ninety years old?"

"Yes?"

"You're serious?"

"Yes!"

"You really are an old geezer!"

"That rude, Zidane! Want me to add frog to menu tonight!?"

" **NO!** Please, no. I'm just, in shock over here."

"What so shocking?"

"I don't know what the average lifespan for Qus are, but for humans, getting to ninety is pretty big milestone. Not to mention being as spry as you are."

"Eh, don't worry about little things."

"Little things? Unbelievable." Zidane shook his head. "I spent hours watching a ninety-something romp around marshes catching frogs..." 

"What wrong with that?"

"...Nothing, I guess." Zidane gave up on furthering the conversation, leaving his leaning position. "Let Dagger or I know when you finish your piece."

"Okay! See you, Zidane!" He left the kitchen and checked a clock nearby to see if he still had time before his daily lesson. "About an hour." He mumbled. "What to do...?"

"Special delivery, kupo!" The castle's moogle, Mosh, came running towards him.

"For me? I thought Mognet was pretty much just for moogles!"

"That's why it's special, kupo! Here you go!"

Zidane grabbed the envelope and flipped it over. "Eiko's handwriting, did she forget to add something?" He opened it and saw a bundle of paper with handwriting he didn't recognize. He thanked Mosh and started reading the first page. After a small introduction, It detailed a security guard in Treno becoming a bounty hunter after being framed by a thief. "Is this Amarant's?" Zidane flipped to another page and found the incident that happened at Ipsen's Castle."Yeah, looks like it. Dagger will be happy now that we're only waiting on Quina." He started climbing the stairs continuing to flip through the pages until he reached Dagger's room. 

"Come in, Zidane." 

"I haven't even knocked yet!" He opened the door meeting Dagger's smile with confusion. 

"You have very distinct footsteps. I can hear you coming as soon as you're at the top of the stairs."

"I must be losing my touch, my inner thief is upset with me for becoming predictable."

"Don't start pouting! Now, what do you have there?"

Zidane pushed the papers back in and passed the envelope to her. "Amarant's piece, Mosh gave it to me a minute ago. Eiko must've mailed it for him."

"Oh, wonderful!" Dagger took out the pages and quickly flipped through them. "Now we just need Quina's and we'll be ready!"

"I just finished talking with 'em, so hopefully it'll be along soon."

"I'll admit, i'm actually interested in what s/he is going to write."

"Expect food metaphors."

"I think i'd be a bit disappointed if there wasn't any." Dagger smiled at Zidane's sigh. She picked up the novella and held it out to Zidane. "Would you mind going through it if you have the time? I just want to make sure everything is fine." 

"I've got a little until Steiner drags me away, give it here." Zidane quickly flipped through the pages he had already read and got right to the new material while Dagger began to look over Amarant's piece. The sound of pages moving filled the room as they both made quick work of their reading. Dagger finished first and placed the pages back in order, snickering at the front page.

"Zidane, did you read Amarant's piece at all?"

"Just skimmed quickly." He answered without looking up. "Is there something wrong with it?"

"Not at all!" Dagger placed the pages back into their envelope. "It's very well written. I just happened to notice something interesting that you never seemed to mention, or rather, that you forgot."

Zidane looked up confused. "And what's that?"

"Do you recall meeting Amarant before Madain Sari?" 

"Are you talking about his wanted poster?"

"No-" Dagger held out the envelope to Zidane. "I'm talking about the thief who framed him." Zidane's confusion grew as he placed the novella down and took the envelope from the playfully, smiling Dagger. He took out the pages once again, reading them thoroughly. It was only when he reached their fight at Madain Sari that a memory resurfaced. 

"Wait-" Zidane put one hand to his head. "Wait a second-! How did... **I forgot all about that!** " 

" _How!?_ " Dagger laughed. "How does one simply forget about someone as imposing as Amarant!?"

"All the people a thief hustles meld together after awhile!" Zidane defended himself. He put his fist to his forehead and lightly hit it. "Why did he never say anything?"

"I don't think that would be his 'style'" Dagger teased. 

"You're right," Zidane nodded. "I can't see him ever bringing this up, especially not to the thief who framed him in person." He gave the envelope back, letting out a small laugh. "I'm learning so much about our comrades today." 

Dagger gave him a quizzical look, but Steiner's bellowing broke through her train of thought. "I believe that's your cue." 

"Early as always." Zidane added as he opened the door. 

******

Zidane and Steiner were circling one another in the courtyard, sabers in hand, both looking for an opening to strike. 

"So..." Zidane started. "Any grand secret you've been hiding from me that you'd like to share?"

Steiner looked taken aback, but kept his stance. "If you are attempting to distract me-"

"No, well kinda, i'm just a bit frustrated at how little I know about everyone. Quina's old enough to be all our grandparents, and I completely forgot that I framed Amarant in the past for one of my robberies."

"You **WHAT!?** "

"Yep. Read about it later."

"Do you have no remorse at all!?"

"Of course I do!" Zidane shot back. "But what should I do? Go apologize?"

"Well, it would be the noble thing to do, but-"

"This is Amarant we're talking about."

"Indeed. I haven't spent much time with him to get a proper read on his character, but he doesn't seem the sort to continue keeping a grudge, especially after what we all experienced." 

"Yeah, and the fact that he included it in his novella piece for me plain to see is enough to prove that." Zidane shifted his stance slightly, ready to make a move."So, Rusty, got anything to share?"

"Only that your left side is completely open." Before Zidane could react, Steiner struck him, making him buckle to the ground. Zidane let out an irritated groan as Steiner stood over him victorious. 

"I _hate_ royal fencing."

"You must learn it, all males of the royal family have."

"You and I both know I'm far better suited to my daggers."

"Kings don't wield _daggers_ , Zidane."

"I know!" He huffed. "And I feel like making myself the first one!"

"You have to get there first!" Steiner pointed his saber at Zidane. "I fear for this kingdom if the rest of your results are as sloppy as your swordsmanship! Now, get up!"

"Slavedriver." He grumbled.

"What was that?"

"You're the best teacher ever!" He cheekily replied and jumped back into position.

Steiner shook his head and resumed his stance. "You will never best me with that attitude of yours."

"We'll see about that, my 'attitude' is what makes me- oh hey, it's Beatrix!"

"What?" Zidane wasted no time and hit Steiner in the same place he had earlier, his turn to fall, leaving Zidane to be the victor. 

"I fear for my kingdom if my royal guard gets distracted at the mere mention of his beloved's name!" Zidane mocked. 

"That was a dirty trick!" Steiner fumed.

"Was it?" Zidane shrugged. "I seem to remember you lecturing me about 'being aware of my surroundings' and 'using my surroundings to gain an advantage'. I did just that, Beatrix is right behind you."

Steiner turned sharply and saw her shadow over him. "He's right." She observed. "Give him his victory, he earned it."

Zidane held out his hand to Steiner and he took it after rolling his eyes. "You leave my wife out of our next duel!"

"I doubt i'd get that to work twice." Zidane pulled him up.

"I didn't know today was the royal fencing lesson. I would have come to observe if you told me." Beatrix dusted Steiner's shoulder off. 

"You should be resting!" Steiner insisted. 

"Oh please," She flipped her hair. "I'm _fine_. Besides, I have to check on the troops every so often or they start to slack off."

"Be that as it may-" Steiner started to reason, but was cut off by Beatrix's glare. 

"This isn't a battle you're going to win." Zidane whispered to him. 

"Speaking of battles Steiner has won, has he ever told you how he became a Knight of Pluto?" Beatrix's glare melted away into a shrewd smile. 

"He has not." Zidane replied matching her expression.

"Wait- Beatrix-!"

"I heard you two earlier, and i'll tell you Steiner's 'secret' as a reward for finally besting him. He's too humble to tell you himself."

"Because it was so long ago and it is embarrassing!" Steiner objected. 

"Oh, now I _have_ to know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cannocially, Steiner earned his position by defeating Beatrix in a duel. :)


	7. Worries

Mikoto tried in vain to ignore the pain throbbing through her arm. The wrappings around her hand became darker as she continued to walk back to the village. If her wound started to drip a trail of blood, she knew the monsters would probably stop turning a blind eye to her. She was powerful, but inexperienced, and with the creatures of Gaia all too familiar with taking down weakened prey, worry weighed heavily on her as she walked past them. Relief washed over her as she saw the village and made haste to enter into it's hidden barrier. 

"I'm back." She weakly uttered anyone who could hear. 

"Welcome ba- **WAAAH, you're bleeding!** " Kiki ran over to her. Mikoto looked down at the bandages to see them now fully stained. The sight of it made her feel sick. 

"I'm... Alright." She struggled out. 

"No you're not!" Kiki's eyes watered. "You're hurt!" 

"Kiki, please don't fuss, i'd rather everyone in the village not know about this."

"B-but!"

"I'm going to the inn to clean up," Mikoto walked past Kiki. "Pretend this never happened." 

"I c-can't just-!"

A sudden wave of exhaustion hit Mikoto and she tumbled to the ground. She cursed inwardly as she lost consciousness. 

" **Mikoto!** Help, someone **_help!_** "

******

The sound of crickets greeted Mikoto as she came out of her fog. The throb of her injury properly woke her up and she lifted her hand over her face to see it freshly wrapped. 

"You're lucky I was here." Mikoto looked over to her bedside to see a disgruntled Eiko glaring at her. "I sneak out of the castle to come visit the kids, expecting to find them going about their carefree lives, but instead find them all bawling their eyes out over your body!" Mikoto said nothing and placed her hand back her side. " _What happened?_ " Eiko's voice was laced with hot anger. 

"A monster." Mikoto simply replied. 

"What _kind_ of monster?"

"I don't remember."

Eiko's eye twitched with anger. "You're _missing a finger_ , Mikoto. I'm pretty sure you'd remember the monster that took it. It's not that you don't remember," Eiko's glare became more intense. "You're lying, aren't you?"

"And what if I am? It doesn't concern you."

"What a fine thank you for patching you up! If you weren't injured and Zidane's sister, i'd slap you right now!"

"Go ahead, I don't care."

Eiko took a deep breath to stop herself from snapping. "Alright then, i'll tell you what you should care about. If you make the kids cry like that again, i'll personally unwrap every little secret you're hiding."

"I doubt you'd ever be able to."

"I'm sure Zidane could!" Eiko shot back and Mikoto tensed. "All I have to do is drop in and let him know about this."

Mikoto sat up quickly. "Don't. It doesn't concern him or any of you."

"Your face says otherwise." The two of them locked eyes, both were determined and ready to act if need be. Eiko relented and sighed. "Listen, i'll leave you be, but If I hear about you coming back to the village all bloodied up again, I _will_ take action."

"I don't understand why you're so angry, I just said it doesn't concern you."

"I'm mad because _you_ don't understand what you did. The kids don't even have that long, lost their 'father' already, and then you come back injured and collapse. They thought you were dead, Mikoto! Maybe try to see that you matter more than you think." Eiko walked over to the inn's door and opened it. All of Vivi's sons fell inward on each other, having the door they were leaning on taken from them. "I told you all to wait by Bobby Corwen's stable." Eiko placed her hands on her hips.

"I-is Mikoto ok?" Nini wheezed from beneath the pile. 

"Yeah, she's fine now, go on in and see her." They all scrambled to their feet and quickly surrounded Mikoto's bedside, all voicing their worries and relief. Eiko gave Mikoto's flustered look one of smug victory before leaving the inn behind."It's so late..." Eiko complained while looking up to the starry sky. "Mother and Father are going to be so mad when I get back..." She hurried back to the airship and had the crew take the quickest route back to Lindblum. Just as she had predicted, Cid and Hilda were waiting for her at the landing port, both sporting their parental angry faces. She braced for the lecture as she stepped out of the airship, hanging her head low.

"And **where** have you been, young lady!?" Cid fumed.

"At the village..." Eiko confessed. 

"What about the word 'grounded' do you not understand!?"

"I-i'm sorry, I just worry about the mages-"

"We worry about you, Eiko!" Cid cut her off. "You can't just launch an airship without telling us and then return after nightfall!"

"You've worried us sick, dear." Hilda added. 

"I'm sorry..." Eiko wiped away a tear with her sleeve.

"Goodness! Your arm is covered in blood!" Hilda grabbed Eiko's arm.

"Oh, geez!" Eiko just noticed the stain herself. "It's not mine, don't worry!"

"Then who's is it?" 

"A Genome was injured and passed out when I arrived. I patched them up and stayed with them until they came around."

"That's why you're so late then..." Cid sighed with relief. 

"Are they OK, love?" 

"Yeah, they're fine. Scared the life out of all the kids, but everyone is OK. I'm OK."

Hilda pulled Eiko in for a hug. "We're glad you're fine, but you mustn't do something like this again. We know how you like to visit the village and check on the children, but ask us next time, please?"

"I will... I'm sorry."

"For now, you're grounded, again." Cid repeated. 

"Thought so."

"Off to bed now," Hilda released her daughter. "Your moogles are waiting for you, be sure to apologize to them as well."

"I will!" Eiko was soon out of sight, leaving Cid and Hilda to marvel at the situation. 

"I don't know how she managed to convince the crew it was OK for her to be out." Cid walked towards the airship.

"Well, you and I both know how hard it is to say no to her, dear."

"All too well."


	8. Celebrations

The novella was finished. Everything had finally come together, and with everyone's blessing, it was sent out for official print. The name 'Memoria' was chosen not only allude to the final destination of their journey, but in hopes that the memory of what happened would stay in Gaia's history for generations to come. It became a hit almost instantaneously. While some found the idea of Terra unbelievable, most relented their suspicions remembering the attacks on Lindblum and Alexandria. There was no explanation until now, and with both summoners being vaguely recorded in history now mixed with evidence of what they saw and experienced, people gradually began to accept the reality of Gaia and the wonders it held. Kuja's deeds soon became common knowledge, and being able to see the logic behind his actions, though wrong, helped people understand why the war started. He was created to bring destruction, and he did just that, even if his own desires muddled the resolve of his creator. 

Many were touched by the story. The small black mage, Vivi, overcoming his created purpose and finding a new path softened the hearts of many. 

With Zidane's origins out in the open, more came to trust his character and looked forward to his rule beside their beloved Garnet. 

All remaining Burmecians idolized Freya even more than before while the citizens of Lindblum began doting on Eiko, overwhelming her with affection. 

A demand for Quina's cuisine rose and many tried to sample a dish made by the elusive chef, but s/he would hardly take any requests and kept to the kitchen in Alexandria. 

Steiner was more highly regarded than ever and the streets of Alexandria were often filled with excited chatter about his and Beatrix's soon to be born child. 

Amarant was able to avoid most of the excitement which he was thankful for, though a few people approached him on occasion with questions he refused to answer. 

And with all the new information of Terra being brought to light, a new boom of knowledge hungry historians began to feverishly seek out anything pertaining to the mysterious planet. With the locations of Ispen's Castle, The Desert Palace, and Oeilvert now clearly mapped out, many wished to visit the locations and begin deciphering anything they could to learn more. Zidane was able to manage a basic Terran alphabet in an attempt to help the knowledge hungry, but it only went so far. Most were unable to travel outside the Mist continent anyways as new airships were rare. While Cid was putting all his effort into creating the new line of steam powered ships, the process was slow as the technology was new to most. Fortunately, Zidane found this a good time to publicly forbid any and all explorers to seek out the Black Mages and Genomes or to enter the Iifa tree while Eiko asked everyone to leave Madain Sari in peace. They both hoped their wishes would be honoured when the new age of explorers eventually took off. 

Months passed, and with the excitement of Gaia's hidden secrets still buzzing in the air, Zidane's coronation arrived with more fanfare than expected. Everyone was eager to get a peek of the Terran among them and being one of the eight who fought to end the war added even more to the crowds. 

"That is, _way_ more than Alexandria's population out there." Zidane glanced out the window while Steiner finished making adjustments to the cape draped on Zidane's small shoulders. 

"It can't be helped." Steiner said while combing out any bit of lint sticking to the cape. "None of us could have predicted the outcome of that book."

"I feel like i'm going to barf." 

"You'll be the laughing stock for ages to come if you do."

Zidane moved his gaze over to the mirror and laughed at his reflection. "I look ridiculous."

"You look that of a king!"

" _Please_ tell me this is the only day I have to dress like this."

"These are just for important ceremonies, you'll rarely have to adorn yourself so lavishly." 

"That's a relief." Zidane patiently waited for Steiner to finish his work, trying to ignore the rising noise outside. Steiner stepped away from the soon-to-be king and looked over the garments before nodding. 

"There, you are ready to proceed."

Zidane tried not to laugh at Steiner's pale, nervous face he had been doing his best to hide this entire time. "What's wrong, Rusty? Having second thoughts already? It's both my wedding and coronation day, but you look way more worried than I am!"

"No, you have done more than prove yourself fit to rule this country and take your place next to our Queen."

"Then what's wrong? Afraid i'm going to trip on this ridiculously long cape in front of the masses?" 

"No, it's-" Steiner looked away. "It is nothing you need concern yourself with."

"You know, you say that, but it's obvious that something's bothering you, so naturally it's bothering me too. Tell me what's going on."

"I... Cannot." 

"Yes you can, i'll order it out of you if I have to." 

"It is my duty as a knight to see this ceremony to it's end! I cannot let other distractions prevent this from happening!" 

" **Adelbert Steiner.** " Steiner was taken aback by Zidane's sudden tone. In these garbs he truly looked a king, and on this day, he would become one. Steiner instinctively knelt on one knee, his heart already knowing whom he was to serve for the rest of his life. 

"It is Beatrix," He managed through his awe. "She has gone into labour. I wish to be at her side, but my knighthood dictates-"

"Forget that!" Zidane's tone went back to normal and he hoisted Steiner to his feet. "Go to her, now!"

"B-But-" Zidane pushed him towards the door with little resistance. 

"Look, i'll be fine. I didn't endure your hellacious training to not be able to walk down a carpet without you holding my hand. Your wife needs you and your kid needs you! And so help me, if I see your mug at the ceremony when you should be by Beatrix's side, i'll punch you in the face in front of everyone!"

"You would **ruin** the ceremony!"

"It's great that you understand!" Zidane gave one last push and sent Steiner out the door, quickly locking it behind him. 

"Zidane!" Steiner protested.

"We'll visit you two later. Get going, alright?" 

Steiner debated on breaking the door back in and fulfilling what he ought to do by the code, but the thought of his beloved in pain stopped him. He stared at the locked for a moment before placing one hand on it. "Thank you." He quietly uttered.

******

Zidane tried to stand tall while he waited for the doors to open and the ceremony to begin. He ran over it in his mind several more times to try and calm himself. He was at the gates to the town square, where all he had to do was walk to the center where Dagger was, let the priest do his thing, say his vows, receive his crown, and then return to the castle. The more he reassured himself the more nervous he became. What if he _did_ trip on the dumb cape? 

"Are you alright, sire?" One of Alexandrian guards looked at him with concern. "We can delay opening the gates a little longer if you need more time to prepare."

Zidane shook his head. "No, open them. We can't delay any longer."

The guard nodded and gave the signal to open the gate, starting the ceremony. Zidane heard trumpets announce his arrival and the crowds immediately hushed as the doors slowly moved open. The sun assaulted Zidane's eyes as he tried to focus his gaze on where to start walking. After his eyes adjusted, his gaze fell to the side of the altar where he'd be standing. Beside it, was his whole Tantalus band. Baku, Ruby, Blank, Cinna, Marcus, as well as the rest of the crew were all at the front of the crowd, eagerly awaiting his arrival. To Dagger's side was Eiko, all of Vivi's sons, Amarant, Quina, and Freya with her family. His eyes were drawn back to Dagger, who both took his breath away and helped him take his first step with her encouraging smile. 

"Heh," Zidane smirked. "What was I even worried for?"

He entered into the sunlight and made his march to the altar with a confident smile. Everything went accordingly and as soon as the crown was placed on his head, the crowd erupted into loud cheers. The priest had yet to actually announce their titles to the crowd and gave up on trying to yell over everyone as they showed no sign of stopping their happy throng. Zidane gave the priest a small shrug and then took Dagger's hand in his, pulling her towards him for their long awaited kiss. The crowd's cheering grew louder with the loving couple's affection on display, and continued the fanfare until they were out of sight and back into the castle. Zidane leaned on the doorframe for support, feeling his legs start to give way. Dagger quickly held him up and he wrapped his arms around her. 

"Feeling a bit overwhelmed?" She placed her forehead on his.

"I feel like my heart is about to explode...!" He wheezed. 

"We can't have that." She kissed him, deeper than the public display, and Zidane let himself relax into it.

"That's a bit better, but I could use a few more." Zidane joked as Dagger pulled away. 

"For later~" She grinned at his pout. "Now, let's go check up on Beatrix and Steiner."

"Oh, you knew?" 

"Beatrix was helping me get ready when it happened. It explains Steiner's absence as well."

"I hope none of the citizens are upset about their absence."

"All eyes were on you, I don't think anyone noticed." Zidane felt a brief wave of anxiety but it passed the instant a babe's cry was faintly heard. 

"Where are they?" Zidane looked up to the stairs.

"In my room! I didn't want to risk moving her elsewhere!"

They bounded up the stairs but made their footsteps quiet as they approached Dagger's room. The baby's crying ceased and they heard Steiner and Beatrix's muffled speech soon after. Dr. Tot exited the room with exhaustion weighing on his face. A mite of it disappeared when he spotted Zidane and Dagger's giddy expressions. 

"My, what a day it has been for all of us!" He chuckled. 

"How are they?" Zidane asked.

"Fine, just fine. Lady Beatrix gave birth to a healthy baby girl."

"Oh how wonderful!" Dagger gushed.

"I believe it would be best to leave them-" The door opened behind Dr. Tot and Steiner emerged. His eyes met the newly crowned Zidane and he saluted him without hesitation. 

"My deepest apologies for missing today's ceremony."

"Enough, you were needed here, we went through this already, don't worry about it."

"Steiner, may we?" Dagger asked.

"Yes, of course, please come in." Dagger entered first went straight to Beatrix's side. 

"Your highness... I ask your forgiveness for this time of weakness."

Dagger shook her head. "None of that, know that Zidane and I are very happy for the both of you." The baby in Beatrix's arms made a small noise and everyone's attention was caught. "Have you named her?" Dagger admired the small life before her.

"Rose. We decided to call her Rose." Beatrix held out Rose to Dagger and placed her in the adoring queen's arms.

"A fine name."

"Fitting, too." Zidane joined Dagger's side. Zidane held out his index finger to Rose's hand and she grasped it. "Woah, that's quite the grip! I think I see a possible new general in the future!"

"If that is what she wishes." Beatrix looked on her child with hope. 

"Zidane and I will do everything in our power to ensure she's happy and safe, always."

"Our gratitude knows no bounds." Steiner replied. 

Dagger passed Rose back to Beatrix. "We need to prepare for tonight's banquet, so we'll have to be on our way. Please use my room to rest until you are well enough."

"You are too kind."

"Steiner, don't strain yourself to come. Stay with Beatrix as long as you need to." Zidane added.

"Thank you, but Beatrix has already bid me to go and won't take any other answer. Master Vivi's sons will be attending and I'd like to visit with them. She won't allow me to miss it."

"Well, if the lady has spoken then it's best to do as she wishes!" Zidane patted Steiner on the shoulder as he left the room. 

"I'll send for a nursemaid to help you, so please, rest." Dagger proudly smiled at her general. 

"Thank you, your highness." 

******

The banquet had ended and all the guests were chatting amongst themselves. Vivi's sons and Eiko had sat a circle around Steiner who was valiantly retelling the story of his and Vivi's heroics in the Evil Forest. Faye and Ferrington joined the circle after Freya finally got them to stop clinging to her. She watched from afar, hoping that they would stay and give her a moment's rest. 

"You look exhausted." Amarant leaned on the wall next to where she was standing. Freya laughed at his bluntness. 

"It's good to see you too, Amarant." 

"Your kids looked like they were about to burst into tears any time they saw me."

"I'm sorry." She tiredly smiled. "It's a bit of an uphill battle trying to get them to socialize with others lately. There's really not many their age in Burmecia." The crowd of children started to get excited as the climax of the story was near. Eiko rolled her eyes, clearly only part of this group to shepherd them. "I only got them to leave me for a bit because Eiko was sitting with the mages."

"If they like her then maybe have them spend some time with her. All she does is hang out with moogles and the Black Mages."

"And pester you, judging by your expression."

"She's nosy as hell. When she gets bored she decides to bug me for fun."

Freya laughed again. "I suppose it doesn't help that you work in the castle now." 

"I need the money, so i'll deal with it." 

"I heard that you and Lani were living pretty modestly, is there something you're saving for?"

"...You could say that."

"Oh? I wonder, does it have anything to do with Lani's absence tonight?" Freya teased, Amarant looking slightly uncomfortable. Regret pricked at her for causing the reaction. "I'm sorry, it was rude of me to pry so." Freya bowed her head. "Forget I said anything."

"...If there's anyone who would keep quiet about it, it'd probably be you."

"I'm honestly surprised you so easily revealed your past with Zidane in the book. You didn't seem keen on sharing it back then."

"It's because it doesn't matter anymore. I knew it wouldn't, they wanted my perspective, they got it." 

"Indeed, that is a fine way of putting it." Freya concurred. Steiner had finished his tale while a few of the kids begged for another. He happily agreed and moved onto the story of his and Vivi's battle with Tiamat in the Wind Shrine. 

"...Lani's pregnant."

"What!? Congratulations, Amarant!"

"Keep your voice down." Amarant hissed. 

"Sorry, sorry, but it is a little bit surprising."

"I'll bet."

"When is she due?"

"Soon."

"Is it alright for you to be here?"

"Not _that_ soon. Besides, she wouldn't let me stay today." Amarant pushed himself off the wall as Steiner finished his story and the crowd of children dispersed. Faye and Ferrington hesitated running back to their mother seeing Amarant nearby. "Anyways, keep it to yourself. Seeya." Amarant left Freya's side and walked into the crowd. 

"Mom!" Faye ran into her mother and latched onto her leg. "Are you OK?"

"Of course I am, why would you ask such a thing?"

"He _was_ kinda scary." Ferrington looked back to the crowd.

"That was Amarant, one of the people I traveled with. I'll not have you two thinking ill of him."

"Didn't you fight the Fire Guardian with him!?" Ferrington perked up. 

"Yes, that's right. I doubt I would have been able to fell it myself."

"Woah, that's cool! He's cool!" Ferrington gushed, making Freya chuckle. She picked both of her children up in her arms. 

"I'll tell him you think so the next time we meet."

******

"I just can't believe you're ah' king!" Ruby shrilled. "Who woulda' thought!?"

"Yeah, it's still sinking in."

"I think you took Tantalus' number one rule to the extreme." Blank crossed his arms. 

"I haven't officially been in the group for ages!" Zidane objected.

"Former member or not, none of us will be able to top this!" Cinna lamented.

"I think our thieving days are about over anyways," Marcus shrugged. "Boss doesn't seem to be feeling it lately."

"That's probably for the best, I can't really be turning a blind eye to thievery, especially if you try to pull something." Zidane shot a glare at the strangely silent Baku.

"Gwahahaha! What's that look for? Think we're gonna try and steal the canary you worked so hard to catch?"

"No, just making sure we're on the same page."

"I'm sure we'll keep on acting if there's a demand, but it won't pay for everything..." Cinna grumbled the last bit. 

"Quit your whining, we'll figure something out!" Baku slapped Cinna on the back, making him cough. 

"Yer all welcome to work at the mini-theatre!" Ruby teased. 

"For what, peanuts an hour?" Blank retorted.

" **What was that?** " Blank took a step back as he started to endure an outburst from Ruby. 

"Has he learned nothing?" Zidane leaned over to Marcus.

"Apparently not."

"Alright, break it up!" Baku grabbed Blank by his belt and started to drag him away. "We're done here, gotta catch the last airship."

"I'll see you off-"

"Don't bother." Baku looked back. "We've seen enough of your mug today." Baku turned the corner with Blank giving a shrug to Zidane before being dragged out of sight. 

"Don't be a stranger, Zidane!" Ruby waved goodbye. "The mini-theatre will always welcome ya'!"

"He might not look it, but the boss is proud of you, Zidane." Marcus playfully punched Zidane on the shoulder as he started after Baku. "Just don't tell him I said anything."

"Seeya, Zidane. Visit us if you're in Lindblum!" Cinna was the last of them to leave. 

"Oh, I didn't get to say goodbye!" Dagger walked over to the now alone Zidane. 

"They're like that, but i'm sure we'll see them all again soon enough."

"Hopefully for another performance, my birthdays just don't feel the same without a Tantalus play."

"I'll see what I can do," Zidane grinned. "But I doubt they'd let me do a lead role again."

"I'm still a bit upset that you had everyone in on surprising the life out of me on that day." Dagger smiled. 

"Well," Zidane grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I have my whole life to make it up to you, and I am eternally yours."

Dagger responded by cupping his face."As am I to you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus the post game arc ends. The next chapter will the beginning of a time skip and where the meat of the story begins. Thank you for reading, please look forward to what's in store!


	9. Tears

_It is time to wake up._

_I have a task for you._

_Observe Gaia._

_Observe the roots._

_Record your findings._

_Return to me when you have finished._

_Do you understand?_

\--------------

Steiner's metallic footsteps echoed through the castle as he hastily jogged from corridor to corridor. He stopped at every door he found and gave each room a thorough look over before turning back to the hallways. He closed the current room's door behind him, grumbling under his breath. 

"What are you doing?"

Zidane's sudden appearance in front of him made Steiner jump in fright. He hastily saluted. "M-my liege! I am simply just patrolling the area!"

"Uh huh... That's a pantry, Rusty." Zidane leaned to look behind the nervous knight. 

"W-well, all places in the castle need to be patrolled now and then!"

Zidane put one hand on his hip. "Rose is gone again, isn't she?"

Steiner hung his head in defeat. "...Yes."

"Did you two have another spat?"

"She isn't taking her training seriously! It would be wrong for me not to scold her!"

Zidane deeply sighed and rubbed his face tiredly. "Go back to whatever you were doing before your fake patrol. I'll handle this."

"What? She is my child, I will remedy the situation!"

"Well, i'm no parent, but I can tell something's bothering her, and you trying to drill it out of her wont fix anything. She's at a difficult age anyhow." Zidane waved to one of the servants and they understood, running off to go fetch the item he needed.

"You have your duties to fulfil! We don't know where she is anyhow!"

"I finished all the paperwork an hour or so ago. I thought i'd take a break before any more comes in." The servant returned with Zidane's cloak and he quickly put it on. "And I have a general idea of where she is. You kept finding all her crying spots, so it's obvious she's moved from the castle to the city."

"C-crying spots!?" Steiner looked a mix of worried and guilty. 

"She's only twelve, Steiner. She's not a child but not a woman either." Dagger joined the conversation.

"Your highness!" Steiner saluted. 

"I saw her taking a gondola a little while ago." Dagger noted to Zidane. 

"Alright, i'm off, i'll bring our little knight back." He waved at them both before he took off towards the courtyard.

"...Have I not raised her properly? I've never meant to upset her..." Steiner lamented. 

"Steiner, i'm not an expert, but I don't think that parenthood is supposed to be always happily perfect. Rose clearly loves you both, idolizes you even. She may have some things she hides because she doesn't want to upset you and Beatrix."

"I always thought I had made myself approachable to her!"

Dagger giggled. "In some ways you have, and in others you haven't. Let's let Zidane do his work and let Rose come back when she's ready. Come on now, the Knights of Pluto are slacking off in the guardhouse. You have a job to do."

"Those **imbeciles!** I'll show them what for!" Steiner stomped off. 

******

A small girl held her knees to her chest, hoping that the bell chiming in the the steeple was loud enough to hide her sobs. The shadow the sun was casting on on the building was enough for her to have a comfortable hiding spot, all she had to do was not be found until she had cried herself out. 

"I thought you might be here." 

She froze at the sound of someone coming down the ladder. Zidane poked his head into the shadows and smiled at Rose. "Y-Your highness-" She sniffled and hastily wiped away her tears. 

"Hey, let's drop that for now. We're not in the castle so Zidane is just fine."

"B-but-!"

Zidane sat down next to her and removed the hood of his cloak. "Don't worry about it. I won't tell your dad if you won't."

Rose gave her smiley king a hesitant look. "I guess that's ok..." They sat in silence. Rose shifted her gaze to Zidane, who was patiently waiting beside her. She placed her head on her knees, hiding her embarrassment. "...I'm sorry." She whimpered. "I shouldn't have run off."

"No apology needed. Every lady needs their alone time, but I can't have our general's beloved daughter be away for too long. You know how Steiner worries." Rose tightened her grip on her legs, trying to force back her tears. They arrived regardless and she tried to quiet her sob. Zidane patted her head gently. "It's alright kiddo, don't worry about hiding your tears, it's just us two. I don't know what's bothering you, but it might make you feel a bit better to talk about it rather than continuing to keep it bottled up."

She let out a few more sobs before lifting her head. "I'm a failure-!" She wailed.

"Woah, what are you talking about, Rose? Those are some pretty dark words for someone your age!"

"I just-" She hiccuped. "I can't do anything right! Mother and Father are such splendid knights! They train and train me, and I can hardly keep up! I've tried so hard to learn Minus Strike, to at least show them the fruits of their labour, but _nothing_ happens no matter hard I try! I'm so tired of disappointing them...!" 

"Rose, you're twelve, Steiner didn't even become a knight until he was sixteen!"

"But, everyone is expecting me to be some sort of prodigy! Daughter of 'Beatrix who felled 100 men' and Adelbert Steiner, one of 'Gaia's saviours'. I bring shame to their names!" Her tears were uncontrollable, she hid her face in her hands and gave up any further talking. 

"You stop that _right now_!" Her sobs stopped at Zidane's sudden authoritative voice. "Rose, you need to stop focusing on what you can't do and realize what you've already done." 

"I don't-" She was cut off by Zidane shoving a handkerchief in her face. She took it and gingerly pat her eyes.

"You know what I couldn't do when I was twelve? Hold a two-handed broadsword like it's nothing! You wave it around like it's a piece of paper!" She looked away, unable to compete with Zidane's praise. "When I was twelve, I was busy messing up heists and still barely able to hold a dagger properly. There was this one time I was being chased by a dog and threw a dagger at him for self defense, and the thing caught it in the air and then continued it's chase with the dagger in it's teeth! I messed that one up pretty badly!"

Rose held back a laugh, imaging the sight. "Aha, there we go!" Zidane ruffled her hair. "Got you to smile!" She giggled as she tried to push his hand away. "And Rose, no one thinks you're a failure, and I guarantee that if anyone thinks you're supposed to be some prodigy is just teasing you."

"...Are you sure?"

"Positive. Your parents worked hard for their positions, and if being a general of Alexandria is what you want, then you'll have to do the same. There's absolutely no rush, just take your time and focus on you, not what everyone else thinks." 

"...I'll try." She finished drying her eyes.

"Good!" Zidane stood up and patted the dust off his pants. "Now, go on back to the castle. I have a feeling that things are going to start looking up, alright?"

"Ok... I'll head back" Rose stood up and started to walk to the steeple's entryway. "Thank you-" She paused. "Zidane." She forced out. 

"It's my pleasure." He gave her a nod and she left. Zidane stretched and put his hood back over his head before emerging from the steeple. "I'm going to assume you heard all of that." He directed towards a pile of crates next to the entrance of the steeple. 

"Yes, every word." Beatrix emerged from behind them with a somber expression. "You have my thanks, milord."

"No thank you required, I just want to make sure you and Steiner fix this."

"You have my word that we will. I am ashamed that I never noticed her insecurities and chided her failures as her not caring." 

"Just tell her you're sorry, my words are only going to go so far, but yours and Steiner's will mean the world to her."

"Still... I feel unworthy to face her."

"Hey, if all the trouble I gave Baku growing up is any indication, parenting is hard and no kid is the same. Just go to her and i'm sure you'll figure out the rest."

"By your leave." 

"Get going, i'll be back myself soon." Beatrix left Zidane to the quiet ambiance of the side street. He walked down to the docks and took in the view of Alexandria's seaside. "Am I a family counselor or a king?" He joked before taking his route back to the castle.


	10. Siblings

Faye nibbled on her lunch as she watched the rest of her classmates play in the distance. None of them paid her any mind unless Ferrington was around, and he was once again, absent. He would ride the airship with her in the mornings along with the older and younger Burmecian children, and then promptly run off to Pinnacle Rocks to go train. He'd ask her to keep quiet about it, and she did so, but was beginning to get tired of the charade. 

She both loved and hated going to school in Lindblum. Eiko was like a big sister to her and Nini the Black Mage was also here and her friend for many years. She often ate her lunch with both of them, but they were nowhere to be seen today. When neither them or her brother were present, all she wanted to do was go home. 

"Alone again today?" Eiko's voice broke Faye out of her daze. 

"Eiko! I thought you weren't coming today!"

"Sorry about that, Nini was feeling a bit under the weather, so I took him back to the palace."

"Oh... Is he alright?"

"As well as he can be, he just got really overwhelmed and needed to rest for a bit." Faye bit into her sandwich mindlessly, feeling for her friend and wishing she could cheer him up. By what to some refer to a 'miracle' Nini outlived his entire race and continues to. She used to visit the village he lived in with Eiko and saw his brothers slowly dwindle until he was the only one left. Eiko couldn't bear leaving him alone and brought him to live in the palace with her. Some days he was chipper and out hunting for bugs, while other days he hardly talked. "I'm guessing Ferrington is playing hooky?"

Faye rolled her eyes. "He's made it a goal to take down a Zaghnol, because Mom took one down in that festival with Zidane." 

"Ugh, that really dangerous. When are you gonna tell Freya?"

"If he keeps coming back with cuts, I won't have to." Faye finished her lunch and crumpled up the brown bag. 

"Yeah, she'll figure it out. I just hope you don't get in trouble too."

"Mom and Dad _know_ that he pushes me around. I've stopped caring so I'll probably get off scot free."

Eiko nodded and then leaned backwards onto the bench. "Speaking of mischievous boys playing hooky, I don't see Keahi here today either."

Faye squinted into the crowds and couldn't spy his long red hair. "Isn't his birthday soon? Maybe he's off for that?"

"Oh shoot!" Eiko gasped. "I almost forgot! He's turning twelve! I gotta get him something awesome!"

"Are you sure Mr. Coral will even let you into the house? He seems to not like you very much."

"Shhhh, my dear Faye!" Eiko placed her index finger over Faye's snout. "Amarant only pretends he hates me. He's got his whole gruff-tough-guy persona to uphold, but he secretly loves me~" 

"Whatever you say." Faye shook her head. The school bell rang and they both sighed at the thought of more classes. They walked to the school building and split towards their classrooms. 

"I'll walk you to the airship dock after school!" Eiko called out to Faye before she entered her classroom down the hall. The rest of the day went slower than normal as Faye tried in vain to ignore the empty seat next to her. Once the final bell rang, she met up with Eiko again and happily walked with her to the airship to Burmecia. After they parted ways, Faye sat herself down and stared down the entrance from her seat. 

"And three, two, one-" Ferrington hastily boarded the ship, out of breath. He spotted Faye and quickly sat down beside her. The airship made its final boarding call and began to take off soon after. "Once again, you barely made it." 

"Oh, shut it!" Ferrington spat. "How do I look? Anything I need to hide?"

Faye looked him over and couldn't help but give a triumphant smile. "You really did it this time, Ferri."

"I _told_ you not to call me that! And what are you going on about!?"

"You have a nick in your ear. I don't know how you managed to not notice it bleeding all down your fur and onto your school clothes."

" **WHAT!?** " He touched his ear and found the nick, then followed the dry trail of blood down to his shoulder, where a few drops had seeped into the fabric. "You have to heal me, Faye!"

"What? No I don't."

"Come on, Eiko taught you white magic to help injured people, i'm injured, help me!"

"Ugh, no. It's just an nick, you'll survive."

"Faye, if Mom or Dad see this, they'll flip!"

"And then you'll have to go to school like you're supposed to, _what a tragedy_."

"Faye, _please_ , heal me, i'm so close to killing that Zaghnol! I'll give you my desert for a week, no, two weeks!"

"No! Are you trying to make me fat? Even if I did heal your dumb ear, you still have blood on your shirt! How're you going to explain that!?" 

"I'll say that I got into another fight at school and got a nosebleed!"

"...That's really not going to help at all."

Ferrington groaned in anger and left his seat for the airship's lavatory. "Idiot." Faye muttered under her breath.

******

"I'm back, Nini" Eiko softly announced as she entered her and his room. Nini was resting on his bed and he turned over. 

"Welcome back..." 

She knelt down next to his bed and felt his forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever, are you feeling any better?"

"A little..."

"Faye was asking after you today."

"Oh... I'm sorry I worried her." 

"It's fine, Nini, we understand. Everyone has their off days." 

"Was teacher mad?"

"Not at all. You didn't miss much anyways."

"That's good..." 

Eiko did her best to keep her smile. She knew his pain, but wanted to help him overcome it, even if it hurt her in the process. "Nini, would you like to go bug hunting on the weekend? I know you're still looking for that rare, blue oglop to add to your collection."

Nini looked to the ceiling. "That sounds like fun."

"It will be fun! I'll ask Faye if she wants to come too!"

"...But she hates bugs."

"But she likes you! Besides, seeing her reactions is half the fun!"

Nini giggled, remembering a previous experience. "Alright, i'll look forward to it."

"That's the spirit! I'll make us a picnic lunch and everything!"

"Ooo, I hope you'll make those cookies."

"All you have to do is ask!" She winked. 

"...Can you please make the cookies?"

"You got it!" She gave him a thumbs up. 

"...Eiko"

"Yes, Nini?"

"Would you mind if I asked for something else?"

"What's that?"

"...Could you tell me a story about my Dad?"

Eiko saw the sadness in his eyes and flinched. She shook it off and answered. "W-which one do you want to hear about?"

"You choose." 

Eiko crossed her arms and thought. Which one was the most heroic? Which one made Vivi look the best? She picked her brain trying to figure out the best one. She looked over to her desk, seeing Mog's ribbon, and she smiled sadly. "How about the time he and Zidane came to mine and all the Black Mage's rescue at Mt. Gulug?" Nini's eyes lit up slightly and he nodded. "Well, it all started when I got kidnapped by those weird jesters!"


	11. Tempers

"Welcome back, Red." Lani gave the returning Amarant a peck on his cheek as she took his work bag from him. 

"Where's Keahi?" 

"Upstairs doing his homework. He has a fever today so I kept him from school. Eiko brought over his work."

"Of course she did." Amarant grumbled. "I'm having a bath, I reek of grease." 

"Alright, dinner will be done soon." Lani smiled at his usual scowl.

Amarant tried to forget all the work he had done that day as he ran the water. The sound of airship gears grinded around inside his head along with steam engines hissing. How many ships had he matienced today? His grease stained fingers told him more than he wished to count. He heard the padding of his son coming down the stairs as he finished up, indicating that Lani was getting dinner on the table. He emerged from bathroom to see Lani putting the final touches to the dining table and Keahi already sitting, his face quite pale. Amarant sat down at his seat and reached across to feel Keahi's forehead.

"Yeah, that's a fever."

"It had better be gone by tomorrow." Keahi grumbled. 

_'Tomorrow, his birthday, right'_ Amarant thought taking his hand away.

"If it's not, we can reschedule the birthday celebrations for later." Lani gave Keahi a sympathetic look. Keahi gave a small nod, trying to hide his discontent. 

"I'll be getting off work early regardless. What do you want me to pick you up for your birthday?" Amarant asked. Keahi's brow wrinkled, wondering if uttering what he really wanted was worth a possible spat at the dinner table, but decided to say it anyways, too sick to care. 

"The same thing I asked for last year."

Lani sighed into her dinner plate as Amarant's expression turned to irritation. "This _again?_ I don't get why you keep bringing this up, the answer will always be no." Amarant shot down. 

"Why? I don't understand what's the big deal?" Keahi argued. 

"You don't need to understand why, just that the answer is no."

"Is it my age? But i'm turning twelve tomorrow-!"

"It has nothing to do with anything you can think up." 

"Then just tell me! Why won't you train me!?"

"Why do you feel the need to learn how to fight? You have no reason to. Monsters are dwindling so much Lindblum hardly has enough for the yearly hunts."

"I don't want to hunt monsters!" 

"Then what's your reason!?" Amarant's tone was turning angry. "I'm getting tired of this, Keahi. Spit it out so we can end this worthless conversation for good this time!"

Keahi's expression broke away from anger to hurt. "It's not **worthless!** " He slid his chair away from his untouched plate and started towards the stairs. 

"And where do you think you're going?" Amarant objected. 

"To _bed_ , where else?" He bounded up the stairs before Amarant could continue the argument. He got up only to have Lani place her hand over his. 

"Red, don't. You're angry and he's angry. Punish him later when your tempers aren't through the roof. I don't want either of you doing or saying something you'll regret." Amarant met Lani's pleading eyes and relented. He sat back down and sighed at the situation. 

"I don't get it."

"He has a reason, Red, but he can't seem to tell you what it is."

"It doesn't matter what his reason is, the answer will be the same." 

"I'll talk to him later, for now, just eat and try to relax."

******

The minutes passed like hours as Keahi tried to sleep. His focus was on the muffled smalltalk coming from his parents and the clacking of dishes as they cleaned up. He finally heard the back door close meaning his father had gone out for a bit of air and the sound of his mother's footsteps coming up the stairs soon followed. She knocked on his door and poked her head in.

"I have to take your temperature, Keahi. Are you awake?" He rolled over and sat up in reply. Lani saw the mix of regret and pout on his face and tried not to smile. She placed her hand on his forehead and then pointed the thermometer at him. "I think your little outburst made things a bit worse, but let's check to make sure." Keahi placed it under his tongue and waited until Lani took it back. "Yep, it's risen a bit." Lani pushed him back onto the bed and pulled the blanket over her son. He turned over and waited for her to leave, but she sat on his bed. She often did this after he fought with Amarant. She never forced his feelings out, but offered encouraging words or advice. "You know, we can't really understand unless you be straight with us." 

She waited for an answer, patiently. She knew he'd come around eventually. "...We have nothing in common." Keahi eventually let out. Lani stroked his hair as he continued. "Memoria talks about how he fought to protect this land and i've always admired that. He also works hard at the castle on the airships, and that's cool too..." Keahi tried to keep his emotions in check, blinking away tears. "But me? I just go to school, get average grades, and happen to be decent at Tetra Master."

"You're only turning twelve, love," Lani comforted him. "I'd say those are pretty normal pastimes for someone your age."

"It's just-" He paused and wondered if he should continue. 

"Yes?"

"It's just that when we both happen to have time off, I _want_ to spend time with him, but I can't. I always feel like i'm in the way."

"That's ridiculous," Lani shook her head. "You're not in the way, Keahi. Your father and I love you, we'd never even think such a thing."

"Then what can I do? It's too dangerous to tag along at work, and he doesn't have a deck of cards to play with. Staying out of the way is my only option. I thought that maybe learning how to fight could fill in the gap but-" Keahi sniffled and Lani moved closer, grabbing one of his hands. 

"Keahi, love, if you want to spend time with your father, all you have to do is ask him. I'm sure the two of you could figure out something. Your father and I both have our reasons for giving up fighting. While mine is clearly stated in Memoria, your father's is not something he's willing to talk openly about." Keahi looked back at his mother whose eyes were full of love for her son. "We want you to be happy and safe, love. Do you understand?"

"...Yes."

Lani kissed his forehead and got up from the bed. "Get some sleep. Things will be better in the morning." Keahi nodded and Lani left him, closing the door quietly behind her. She went downstairs, seeing that Amarant had returned from his walk and was sitting on the back steps. His face was wistful as she stepped outside and joined him. She placed her head on his shoulder as she began to talk in a low tone. "Were you listening in?"

Amarant didn't answer and Lani didn't push the subject any further. She intertwined her hand with his and gave it a small squeeze, showing him her support. They stayed that way until Amarant finally spoke."I need some time alone, to think."

Lani smiled and placed a kiss on his temple. She let go of his hand and stood up. "Take all the time you need, Red."

******

Amarant returned early from work as he said with a package under his arm. Lani wasn't there to greet him, but she soon appeared coming down the stairs, her face tired and filled with worry. 

"Hi Red." She managed as she moved towards him. 

"What's going on?"

"After you left for work, I woke up to Keahi retching in the bathroom. I took him to the doctor and it seems he's got a bug going around."

"...How is he doing?"

"I gave him medicine and he's resting. There's not much else we can do."

"I'll look after him for awhile. Take a breather." 

Lani nodded and sat herself down at the dining table, looking at the small stack of presents sadly. "What a rotten way to spend your birthday." 

Amarant kept his gift with him as he started up the stairs. Keahi's room was open and Amarant let himself in seeing that his son was sound asleep. Lani had placed a chair beside his bed with a water basin next to it. He sat down in it and placed his gift on the floor. Keahi hardly stirred as Amarant replaced the cloth on his forehead with a fresh one. He honestly felt like he had forgotten how small and fragile his son was and seeing his pained breathing wasn't helping his conscience. Eventually, Keahi's eyes opened and tried to focus on whoever was at his bedside. 

"...Dad?"

"Hey, feeling any better?"

"A little, I think." 

"Can you sit up? I have something I need to talk to you about. It can wait if you're not feeling up to it." Keahi shook his head and pushed himself up, waiting for Amarant to start. "You probably already figured it out, but it's about why i'm so against you fighting." Keahi nodded and Amarant continued. 

"When I was your age and even younger, I didn't have a family, house, or anything really. All I had was my will to live, and fighting to fuel it. I grew up with fists and weapons constantly being shoved in my face, and if I didn't fight back, it meant a shameful death or more pain added to my already battered body. I had to learn how to fight to survive, and once I was finally able to overcome those who towered over me, I became obsessed with the idea of continuing to get stronger, to get rid of anyone or anything in my way. I was picking fights and living my life to win them."

"Dad, I-"

"Hold on, i'm not done." Keahi's sinking feeling in his chest made him want to cry, but he held back and listened intently. "It wasn't until I fell down that trapdoor and had to be rescued by the only person able to best me, that I started to see things differently. My purpose for fighting moved away from wanting to get stronger to fighting for those who couldn't. When you were born and I held you in my arms, I promised myself to never let you travel down a similar path. Everything's been peaceful and your mother and I do what we can to keep it that way for you, but my arrogance has created a rift between us."

Amarant picked up the package and placed it on Keahi's lap. "So, this is my way of apologizing. I'm not good with words, but i'm sure you'll get it once you open it." Keahi continued to blink back his tears as he slowly opened the package. A few of them slipped out and down his cheeks as he stared into the box. Inside, was a small combat claw.

"Dad, you don't have to-" Keahi wiped away his tears.

"I don't have to, but I want to. It's time I stop being overprotective and at least teach you the basics. I'll take some days off once you're better and we'll get started. It's not gonna be easy, so I hope you're as ready for this as you think you are." 

"Thank you...!" Keahi picked up the claw and tried to admire it through his blurred, tearing eyes. 

There was a knock on the open door and they both looked over to see Lani in the entryway with the the rest of Keahi's birthday gifts in her arms. "Happy Birthday, Keahi." She walked over to his bed and placed the presents around Amarant's.

"W-who are these from?" Keahi stuttered through his tears. 

"Well, I think this one is from Eiko." Lani pointed at a colourfully wrapped box. 

"Oh, um, yay." Keahi picked it up reluctantly. 

Amarant smirked. "We have more in common than you think, kid."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naming Facts: 'Keahi' means 'Flames' or 'The Fire' in Hawaiian. I chose it as a homage to both Lani who's name means 'Sky' in Hawaiian and as a reference to Amarant's title 'The Flaming Amarant'.


	12. Thieves

" **ZIDANE! Have big problem!** "

Dagger jumped at the sudden intrusion while Zidane dropped the papers he was looking over. "Quina, **knock** before you enter." Zidane bent down to to grab the papers while Dagger took a breath to calm herself. 

"No time for knocking!" Quina continued. "I figure out something!"

"What did you figure out." Zidane humored.

"Who been stealing food from my kitchen!" 

Zidane and Dagger exchanged quizzical looks. "There's been food stolen?" Dagger questioned.

"Yes! I notice when taking inventory since last week! Little things disappearing, I thought mice, but it person! I saw them run out of pantry!" 

"When?" 

"Just now! I try to follow but they disappear!"

"That is... A little bit concerning." Dagger admitted. 

"You're sure, Quina?" Zidane questioned. 

"Very sure! I old but not crazy!"

"Alright, take me to where you saw them and i'll see what's up." 

Quina quickly ran out and Zidane followed. Dagger wasn't far behind them as she showed up soon after Quina had stopped. "Right here. I was grabbing spices when I opened door and person ran out!" Zidane looked through the open pantry, smiling to himself remembering Steiner 'patrolling' it not so long ago. It was obvious that someone had been in here recently. 

"Did you see what they looked like?" Dagger asked.

"No, wearing cloak." 

"What colour was the cloak?" Zidane called out from inside. 

"Hmmmm, I think green."

Zidane emerged from the pantry holding a scrap of green cloth. "Well, I think we've got a thief in our castle." Zidane gave Quina and Dagger a mischievous look. 

"How did they get in?" Dagger wondered. "And are they still here...?" She trailed off. 

"Oh they're still here." Zidane confirmed. "It's broad daylight in a heavily guarded castle. If my instincts are right, they found a one time gap in our defenses, got in, and now can't find a way out. Most likely, they're hiding until nightfall to try and find a way out again." Dagger shivered and looked around with a worried expression. Zidane placed his hands on her shoulders and winked at her. "Don't worry, we'll smoke 'em out. Trust your ex-thief husband, it takes one to know one."

Zidane spied Rose in the distance and beckoned her over when their eyes met. She ran over and saluted. "Your highnesses, how can I be of service?" 

"Rose, would you mind getting your parents for me? It's important."

"Right away!" She ran off and soon returned with Steiner and Beatrix in tow. They all saluted and waited for orders. 

"Thanks for coming so quickly. Steiner, Beatrix, I need to you to do a full lock down on the castle, just for today."

"What has happened?" Steiner questioned. 

"There's someone in the castle, has been for a week or so, but we just got evidence of it now.

"Gracious, how did you find this out?" Beatrix asked. 

Zidane held up the scrap of cloth."Quina's been having food stolen and saw someone run from the pantry wearing a cloak of this colour. Keep an eye out for it when you patrol. We're finding them tonight."

"Understood!" They both acknowledged and began to carry out their orders. 

"What shall I do? I am ready to help, milord." Rose offered. 

"You're going to be helping plenty Rose, i'll give you your orders later." Zidane met her's, Dagger's, and Quina's confused looks with excitement in his eyes. "Let's catch us a thief!" 

******

The night dragged on. Every knight was on patrol, endlessly circling the castle completing their rounds. Oddly enough, there was no one stationed in the main hall entrance, only the decorative display armors stood watch. A stray guard would pass through every so often and there were others stationed around the entrance, but it was practically neglected. Time continued to move and after a few more hours, not a soul walked through the main hall. A quiet rattling came from one of the display armors as it's chest piece slowly started to move. It clicked upwards and a cloaked figure slid out. They quickly shut it as they had many times before and started their routine. While something did seem off, being seen by the chef today wasn't going to stop them from continuing. They noticed a rip in their cloak and tsked at their carelessness. 

They peeked around the corner and saw a guard on every side. The looked upwards to see more patrolling the hallways above. Once again, it was impossible to reach the basement. They debated on climbing back into their hiding spot, but their stomach growling interrupted their thoughts. They cursed their gluttonous gut and wondered if it was wise to try and get back to the pantry. No, someone would surely be waiting for them there. A pair of voices shook fear into them and they hastily reopened their hiding spot and scrambled back in. The general, Steiner, and his daughter strolled in from the entrance. 

"Why is it I must accompany you, Rose? I am needed elsewhere."

"I'm sorry father, but his highness asked me to bring you along."

"Well, so be it. Now what exactly are you to do here?"

Rose made a troubled face and drew her sword. "His highness said that if the thief hadn't shown himself by eleven hundred hours, I was to come to the entrance and carry out these orders with you as my witness."

"Very well, proceed." Rose sighed and walked over to the display armor across from the hidden thief and raised her sword. She sliced it in twain and it clattered to the ground. "WHA- **ROSE!** " 

"I'm carrying out my orders!" She whined. "Please don't be mad!"

"Zidane, what ridiculous scheme are you involving us in!?" Steiner muttered under his breath. 

Rose moved to the second one and did the same. The clatter of the armor was starting to gain attention, having a few guards leaving their posts for a moment to look. Rose moved to the third and readied her swing. The thief started to panic. They then knew that this whole thing was a facade, the king had known his whereabouts and had grown tired of waiting. They had been given many opportunities to try and escape but took too long in deciding and were now being caught whether they liked it or not. A quick flash of jumping out of the armor now and running for it entered their mind as the third suit fell, but Rose was in front of the their suit before they could kick the chest plate open. Rose readied herself again, the thief gave up. Die or get caught. They chose accordingly. 

" **STOOOOOOOP!** " A small voice echoed from inside the armor. Steiner took a step back in shock while Rose stopped her blade from hitting the armor. "I'll come out, just please, put the sword down...! "Rose lowered her blade and the chest plate was kicked open. The small figure slid out and fell to the floor, their legs shaking too much to support them.

"It's about time." Zidane's voice was heard from the top of the stairs. "I'd give your hiding skills a B-, and your actual thieving skills an F." He walked down the stairs and made his way over the the thief. 

"How did you know? No, since when did you know?" Steiner marveled. 

"I saw a green string from their cloak on this armor a few days ago and thought nothing of it. It became obvious after the pantry scrap I found today. However, what I wanted to confirm was that our thief was just a lost kid, and not some master." Zidane flipped the hood off the cloak revealing a young boy. He looked away from all the onlookers. "I also found this a great opportunity to get rid of those display pieces, i've always found them ugly, so, thanks for that Rose!"

"You're... Welcome?" Rose answered and Steiner looked on his king with disbelief. 

"Besides, if someone can hide in them, they're a hazard anyhow" Zidane kicked the last one over, making the thief boy flinch. Zidane picked up the boy by his cloak and made him stand. "Alright, we're all tired, so we'll question you in the morning. Steiner, if you would." Zidane pushed him towards Steiner and he caught the boy by his arm. 

"The dungeon I assume?"

"There's really no other place to put him."

Steiner nodded and then took the boy's other arm and put them behind his back. It had been a long time since the dungeon had been used. 

******

"Geez, it's freezing down here!" Zidane held his arms as Steiner escorted him into the dungeon. 

"My apologies, we never use it so there has been no reason to try and heat it."

"I just hope that kid is alright. He went from stuffy armor to the Ice Cavern down here." 

"I'd say it's a fitting punishment for a thief." Steiner criticized.

"A thief that looks like he's maybe nine. Cut him a little slack Rusty, I have a feeling he was sent here and then abandoned when he didn't return. Baku did it to me once to teach me a lesson, but he came back." Zidane spied a curled up ball of green fabric in a far cell. "I have a feeling it's not gonna be the same for this kid."

"Baku's raising methods are concerning." Steiner grimaced. 

"Yeah, but I turned out alright in the end! Besides, he's gone soft. Bunce and Lucella are becoming spoiled. Empty nest syndrome hit him pretty hard I guess." 

"I suppose..."

Zidane excused Steiner as he approached the cell and sat down in front of it cross-legged. "Hey, you still alive in there?" The boy lifted his head in reply and gave Zidane a bleary eyed glare. "Sorry," He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I didn't know it was so dang cold down here." The boy put his head back down and remained silent. "So..." Zidane began. "How long were you living in the display armor?" No answer. "Alright, how about your name?"

Still nothing. "Come on, I know you can talk. You screamed like a little girl last night." The boy flinched but gave no other indication of talking. "So you want to stay in here forever then?"

"Of course I dont." He muffled through his hood. 

"Then you better start talking. I can't do anything until I get something out of you."

The boy sighed and lifted his head again. "...I've been told to keep my mouth shut. Part of our code."

Zidane crossed his arms. "Well your code doesn't mean anything if you're not even part of the group anymore. I have a basic idea of how long you've been here, and I think we can both come the conclusion that no one's coming back for you." The boy's eyes watered and he hid his head. Zidane felt like kicking himself for causing the reaction. 

"Don't you think I know that...?" The boy sniffled. Zidane tried to rethink his approach. He was once this child, and while he never got locked up, he remembered the crushing thought of his 'family' never coming back for him when he goofed off one too many times during that job all those years ago. 

"Listen, no one is gonna hurt you or sell you out, alright? While you did steal food and we'll have to punish you for that in some way, it'll probably just be some manual labor. But what after that? Do you want to go back to the streets? Do you want to go back to the people who willingly abandoned you? You gotta talk to me, kid. Let me try to help you." There was a short silence between them before the boy spoke up. 

"...Tucker." The boy muttered.

"What's that?"

"My name."

"Oh, well, that's a start." Zidane smirked. "Anything else?"

"That i'm fifteen, not nine."

"Haven't hit puberty, got it." Tucker lifted his head at that comment just to shoot another glare. "You can glare at me all you like, but it won't get you out from behind these bars. Best spill everything else."

******

Zidane made his way back to his chamber in deep thought. He was greeted by Dagger and Beatrix when he opened the doors, who were in the middle of sorting out birthday plans for the current year. 

"How did things go?" Dagger asked simply as Zidane dropped himself onto the couch. 

"I got him to tell me everything, down to where he's from and who sent him, but i'm at even more of a loss now than before."

"Maybe we can help?" Dagger sat down next to him. 

"Yeah, maybe. I guess the best place to start is that he belonged to a scumbag thief group that's starting to make a name for themselves. They're called Pelops, and part of their code is to test their younger members' mettle by giving them impossible jobs, and then abandoning them when they fail. It's meant to weed out the weak."

"That's horrible!" Dagger gasped.

"I have heard of them." Beatrix commented. "The leader has quite the bounty on their head." 

"Yeah, and our prisoner was their latest victim. He got stuck here and figured he'd try to escape later when he found a chance. Tucker is the kid's name given to him by Pelops, because he's got a talent for 'tucking himself away' into places people couldn't find. Made him valuable in certain jobs."

"What's his real name?" Dagger asked.

"...He doesn't remember. He lost his family and home during the Battle of Lindblum and was scooped up by the group afterwards. He's been with them ever since. Well, until now, that is. He got sent in through Gargan Roo and wasn't able to get back in time."

Dagger closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to chase away the scenes of that day. Beatrix look upon Dagger with guilt. "What did he steal?" Dagger opened her eyes. 

"Besides the food in the pantry, nothing. His test was to get in, and get out, to prove that he could do it and still be asset to the group."

The three of them thought in silence, all trying to process the situation. Dagger was the first to voice her thoughts. "What can we do for him? I am partially to blame for this, and I won't have you two tell me otherwise! He should be punished, but I refuse to have him suffer any more!"

"Your highness... You mustn't say such things." Beatrix implored. 

Zidane grabbed Dagger's shaking hands. "We could toss the blame game for hours between the three of us, but what's important now is that you want to help him, I do too, I just don't know how."

Dagger nodded and set her mind back to what she could do to help. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head and she turned to Beatrix. "Beatrix, Rose is currently a page, yes?"

"Yes your highness. She is given a bit more training from her father and I, but a page is her designation." 

Zidane caught onto Dagger's thought and took the lead. "You know, I could use a page. There's a lot of little things I can't seem to get around to. An extra pair of hands would be most welcome. Is there anything against the King having one, Beatrix?"

"Nothing as far as I know, and I believe you would go ahead with it regardless of what I told you anyhow." Beatrix smiled at the couple's revelation. 

"I'd say it's settled then! I would like to meet this new page, Zidane! Escort me to the dungeon, would you?"

******

Tucker had drifted off to sleep despite his surroundings. His long chat with Zidane helped his fatigue catch up with him and with hardly any fight, he found himself dreaming. Nightmares plagued him often, but revealing everything felt like a weight off his shoulders, giving his dreams quiet and plain locations. 

"Tucker..." A familiar voice called out to him. He turned sharply to see a shadow that resembled someone he feared. "Don't you know what the penalty is for betrayal?" It hissed and drew a knife.

"You left me!" Tucker barked at it. "Leave me alone!" 

The shadow floated towards him, knife forward and ready to strike. "Tucker... Tucker... **TUCKER!** " It chanted as it grew closer. Tucker felt the knife burrow into his heart as the chanting continued. "Tucker?" Dagger called out to him and his eyes shot open. " **NO-!** " He screamed and pushed himself against the back of the cell in desperation.

"Kid, it's alright!" Zidane tried to calm him. "You were just having a bad dream." Tucker looked past the cell bars to see the Queen and King of Alexandria staring back at him with worried expressions. He slumped down and tried to let his fears disappear, hiding his embarrassed face. 

"Are you ok? I'm sorry that I frightened you." Dagger apologized. 

"I'm... Fine." Tucker managed and sat himself up. "I'm guessing it's time for my sentance or whatever if you're both here." 

"More or less." Zidane sat down in front of the cell like before. "Though I think it's not something you're expecting."

Dagger gave Tucker a warm smile and he looked away. "Oh? And that means?" He replied.

"It means that instead of punishing you the normal way, i'm instead going to take you in as my page."

"...What?" Tucker's eyes formed slits. "What does that even mean?"

"How does three square meals a day, knight training, and doing various errands sound? It's not slave labour, but, I think you'll survive." Zidane gave Tucker a wink. 

"You're joking."

"I'm not. I could honestly do with having a helper and we have to make you pay for the food somehow, so we decided this is the best option."

Tucker snorted a laugh. "And what if I try to steal again? What then?"

"Oh, i'll make sure you don't. You're going to be under my watch most of the time or escorted by another until we know you're trustworthy. Prove to me that you're not a thief anymore and you'll stop being watched 24/7. When you come of age, you can even try to become a Knight of Pluto if you want."

Tucker felt like he was in another dream. There was no way this was real, that people were really this kind. "Why-" He questioned. "Why are you doing this? You have no reason to help me."

"Yeah, I don't." Zidane shrugged.

"But we want to." Dagger added. 

Tucker looked at both of them with uncertainty. Could he trust them? Was this a trap? He didn't know what to think. He was scared. "So whaddya say? Ready to leave the life of thievery behind?" Zidane unlocked the cell and opened the door. 

Dagger held out her hand to Tucker and he flinched, half expecting the whole thing to be a ruse and to be met with a slap. "It's alright." Dagger extended her arm a bit more. "No one will hurt you anymore, I promise you this." She reassured and Tucker felt a few tears stream down his cheeks as he began to reach out to her, hoping this wasn't some cruel dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naming Facts: Pelops in greek mythology is the son of Tantalus, which is the namesake of Baku's thief group. I decided that if I was going to have a villainous thief group, I might as well keep up the naming pattern. What's funny is Tantalus is the bad guy in the mythos while Pelops is the victim. :s


	13. Friends

"We're all here, are we ready to go?" Eiko looked back at her group.

"Yep!" Nini and Faye answered, though Faye a little bit less enthusiastic. 

"What am I doing here...?" Keahi muttered. 

"You're going to help us catch a rare, blue oglop!" Eiko answered. "I thought you were interested in them?"

"I'm interested in the **Tetra** card that you can only win from tournaments, not the actual bug itself!" 

"Oh," Eiko shrugged. "Well you can help us out anyways, you have nothing better to do, right?"

Keahi inwardly groaned at the fact that she was right. Both Lani and Amarant were at work, and he wasn't allowed to practice combat unless he was supervised. "This isn't really how I was planning on using my saturday." He retorted.

"U-um..." Nini butted in. "You don't have to come... If you're busy then don't worry about it!"

Keahi looked into Nini's small glowing eyes that clearly showed neither pleading nor pity, but he felt he'd be making himself a jerk to deny the small mage. "I'm not busy," Keahi gave up. "I'll come along."

"Good!" Eiko grinned. "Let's go, I heard from one of the guards that they saw a blue oglop behind the castle area!" Eiko led the small group with Nini while Faye and Keahi hung behind a little.

"Where's Ferrington?" Keahi asked Faye. 

"Grounded."

"Again? What did he do now?"

"He got caught. Blood on his shirt. His own dumb fault. Besides, can you see such a stuck up moron galavanting around Lindblum looking for bugs?"

"I guess not. He'd just ditch us to go to Pinnacle Rocks."

"Right? All he cares about is becoming a dragon knight! He's got no time for me unless he needs a Cure spell."

"That reminds me," Eiko looked back. "Do you still want to keep learning White Magic, Faye? I can set some days aside to continue our lessons if you'd like."

"Yeah, i'd like that! Though, are there any combat spells? I'd like to not give Ferrington any more reasons to push me around for healing."

"There _is_ but, it's very high level, so if you want to learn how to cast it, we'll need to set _lots_ of days aside to reach it."

"I'm ready when you are!" Faye exclaimed, making Eiko laugh.

"We'll see how much you can learn then!" Eiko moved her focus to Keahi. "And speaking of combat, I heard that Amarant is finally training you!"

"Okay, now your birthday present of elixirs makes sense, you stalker. It's been less than a week and I only just started learning yesterday. Are you trying to make my dad mad at you again?" Keahi warned. 

"Oh Keahi, the Regent's daughter does not _stalk_ , you just underestimate my sources~" Eiko divulged. 

Keahi rolled his eyes and gave up while Nini brought the topic of the blue oglop back once they boarded the air cab to the castle. The four began their search for the elusive blue bug, only finding the regular kind for hours. Just as the group began to get discouraged, Eiko stopped them for lunch and took them up to the telescope. "This is the first time i've been up here." Keahi ignored the picnic spread and went right to the telescope. 

"I would have brought you if you had just asked." 

"Uh-huh..." Keahi ignored Eiko's pout and continued to look through the telescope's lens. 

"Yay! You made the cookies!" Nini cheered as Eiko unwrapped them.

"But of course!" Eiko divided out the cookies onto the plates "You asked so nicely after all."

Faye started unpacking the rest of the food and helped Eiko with the placement of everything. She stopped to huff at Keahi. "You could help us, Keahi."

"I'll be done in a second, i'm trying to find-" Keahi stopped abruptly and moved his head away from the lens. 

"Find what?"

"Well, I was going to look for the chocobo forest, but everything suddenly went black. Is it broken?" He moved away from the telescope.

"Hold on-" Eiko go up. "Sometimes things get stuck between the lenses and you have to pop it open and take a look." She pushed the mechanism to give access to the lenses and peered inside. Something jumped out, making her shriek in fright and Kehai fell backwards in reply. 

"Oh!" Nini quickly grabbed the cause of the panic. "You found it!" In his red gloves was a vibrant, blue oglop. The three looked at each other in disbelief before losing themselves in laughter. 

******

"Someone's looking well rested and clean!" Zidane greeted Tucker as he was escorted to the throne by Rose. 

"Um... Yes." He simply replied. 

"Tucker, you must salute when the King greets you, have you already forgotten?" Rose chided. Tucker hastily saluted and apologized for his error.

"It's alright, i'm not too much of a stickler for rules you'll find, just don't tell Steiner." Zidane winked at Rose as she tried to hide a smile. "Now, I guess i'll go over your tasks for today. First, I'll have you and Rose transport what's left of the armor pieces to my friend Ruby. She runs a mini theatre and she can probably use them in costumes or mold them into new props. They're already collected and loaded onto a gondola. When you return you'll start your daily lessons with Steiner. We'll see if you're up for more after that."

Zidane finished by giving out Rose's orders as well and the duo were off in the marked gondola. Rose rowed it quietly while Tucker mindlessly stared at the sun's reflection on the water. She wasn't quite sure what to make of the boy. He was several years her senior yet was so much smaller than her, not to mention that the page's outfit was something he was going to have to grow into. He hardly talked and his eyes were constantly glazed over, as if he had already given up on the day before it even begun. Her eyes moved from her rowing path to him and specifically fell onto his left hand which bore a strangely shaped scar. Tucker felt her eyes on him and looked back tentatively. When he saw her intently staring at his hand, he sheepishly turned it over and moved his gaze back to the water. Rose felt a twinge of guilt but felt it odd to apologize. Their silence continued even into the streets of Alexandria while Tucker followed behind Rose as she led the way to the mini theatre. They carried the small crates of scraps in their arms as their plated shoes clacked against the brick streets. 

"I'm... Sorry." Rose managed.

"For what?"

"Staring at your hand."

"Oh," Tucker glanced down to it involuntarily. "Don't worry about it." He moved next to her and continued. "I was given gloves to hide it, but I forgot to wear them, so really i'm at fault here."

"That's not good, Tucker! If you neglect your uniform my father will scold you!" Tucker grimaced for a moment, imaging the lecture from the stern-faced man he had yet to properly meet. Rose stopped a laugh looking at his face. "It's alright, just put them on as soon as we get back. No one will know the difference!"

"I'll do just that." Tucker affirmed as they arrived at the mini theatre, finding Ruby opening the gate for the day. She gave them an excited wave as they approached. 

"Zidane sent word that ya'll would be payin' me a visit! Come on down!" Ruby led the two of them backstage and they happily set down the heavy crates for Ruby to examine. "Hmmm...." She lifted a few of the remnants out and studied them. "Yep! We can sure use these! My costume designer is gonna be thrilled!" 

"Really?" Rose asked. "They all have some large er-" She side glanced Tucker. "Nicks in them."

"That's no problem, darlin'! You'd be surprised how far these can go with a bit o' love!" Ruby placed everything back in the crate and gave them a satisfied smile. "Thanks for bringin' it down here Rose and-" She shifted her attention to Tucker. "You must be Zidane's new page! You're somethin' adorable!"

"U-um..." Tucker looked away sheepishly making Ruby giggle. 

"Just teasin', love! You'll be a fine fit next to Zidane, so don't you worry none, alright?"

Tucker wanted to take her words to heart as they started back towards the castle, but his worries weighed heavily on him. All he had ever known was thievery and the deceit that came with it. He wondered if this new life that was so easily given to him was to be trusted, and if those in it would ever trust him. Rose was back at rowing the Gondola and Tucker found himself watching her this time instead of the water. She noticed but said nothing as his gaze seemed fixed. 

"About the mark on my hand," Tucker started. "Everyone in Pelops has it on them somewhere. The boss likes marking her 'property'." Rose met his gaze as he continued to talk. "It's usually somewhere you can't see, secretive like, so you can't be identified by it, but having it on you still confirms you're a bonafide member. Mine however, was given to me as a punishment. I tried to run away at one point and was easily caught. Putting it on my hand not only took away my ability to freely roam without care, but, I used to be really good with a bow and well-"

"They cut you that deeply!?" 

Tucker tried to flex his left hand to show her the damage. His fingers hardly bent. "That's as far as go." He sighed. "No more bow and arrow if I couldn't grip it anymore. They left my right hand intact if they ever trusted me again to take up a different weapon, but I never felt the reason to try." Rose stopped rowing as hot anger started to rise in her. Tucker started feeling regret in response. "A-anyways, you seemed curious so I thought i'd tell you, though I guess it probably wasn't the best idea now that I think about it. Sorry."

"Don't apologize." Was all Rose said as she continued rowing. The anger remained with her until they reached the port and continued to as she escorted the quiet again Tucker back to his quarters to fetch his gloves. Her expression softened in the presence of her father as she dropped Tucker off to his lesson, not wishing to worry him, but her stewing continued nonetheless. 

"Thank you Rose for a job well done." Steiner saluted and she replied back in kind. "Take a seat young man, we'll begin shortly." 

Tucker did so and Rose watched wondering if she should save Tucker a bit of grief. "Tucker," She caught his attention away from the pile of books in front of him. "Will you be able to grip a two handed sword with your... Injury?"

Tucker looked at his left hand and tried as hard as he could to form a fist with great resistance. 

"No... Probably not."

"What's all this about?" Steiner joined in.

"Tucker's left hand is unusable in combat for what you are going to be teaching."

"And why is that?" Steiner raised a brow. Tucker took off his left glove and held it out to Steiner who looked at it with concern. He tied to bend it into a fist position which had Tucker involuntarily jump in pain. "This is indeed a problem." Steiner released Tucker and stroked his chin in thought. 

"Perhaps focus on something different for today's lesson instead?"

"I suppose that is what i'll have to do for today. I trust you have no objections?" He directed at Tucker. 

"Well, no, but-"

"But what?"

Tucker looked back at the books set before him before looking back to Steiner. "I don't know how to read."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is sort of supposed to be like the FF9 ATEs, showing situations happening simultaneously, one having plot relevance while the other is just fun/information. Also, I made up the Blue Oglop, it doesn't actually exist in-game.


	14. Plans

Zidane blinked several times, trying to chase away the drowsiness that was quickly overtaking him. He had only a few things left to take care of and the small pile of papers on top of the table in front of him was it. The sound of Steiner's armor echoed from the hallway to the throne and Zidane paused looking over the first paper to prepare for his arrival. 

"You're up late." Zidane placed the paper down and greeted the tired knight.

"I could say the same to you." He placed a tray containing two cups of tea on the table. "From Quina." He gestured to the cups and Zidane grabbed them both, handing one to Steiner. 

"Probably thought Dagger was still up with me, but she's long since gone to bed." Steiner took the saucer from Zidane and spied his worried expression in the liquid's reflection. He quickly drank it down, trying to ignore anymore signs of his exhaustion. "I can tell," Zidane went back to his paperwork. "That today didn't really go as you planned. Is he proving more of a handful than you expected?"

"In more of an unexpected way, actually."

"Oh? Do tell, i'm all ears."

Steiner went over the best way to reveal Tucker's situation in his head, but decided being blunt about it was the only way."He can neither read nor write, and his left hand is crippled, intentionally by some sick punishment." 

Zidane stopped his quill and felt anger rise within him. "Bastards...!" He hissed and threw the quill down. "The hell is wrong with people!?" He leaned back into the throne, trying to quell his anger. "I take it you've arranged Dr. Tot to be his tutor in the meantime?"

"Already done."

"And what about his eventual combat training? How bad is it?"

"He can hardly bend his fingers and it seems far too late to be remedied."

Zidane crossed his arms and wracked his brain until an idea popped up. "Wait, what about royal fencing? It only requires one hand."

"Royal fencing is reserved for nobles and males of the royal family, it cannot just be taught to any person off the street!"

"No exceptions?"

"You already know the answer."

"Hmmm...." Zidane picked up his quill started back on the page he left. "Then I guess i'll just have to adopt him." Steiner dropped his teacup in shock. "Oh, hope that wasn't one of the more expensive ones." Zidane glanced over at the shards. 

"Did... Did I hear you correctly?"

"Well Rusty, what did you hear?" Zidane teased.

"That you wish to adopt- hold a moment, explain yourself." 

"...Not really sure what's to explain. Dagger and I can't have children, that much is obvious after this much time."

"You don't know that..."

"I think I do." Zidane faced Steiner. "Terra and Gaia blood were never meant to mix, mine even moreso. Genomes were created to house the souls of those in Pandemonium after the eventual assimilation of Gaia. I don't know all the details, but I feel that they would have created more Genomes to continually transfer their souls instead of trying to reproduce. It seems more like their mindset, preserving their knowledge for an eternity, it would have been a dream come true." Steiner said nothing in reply, unable to come up with a proper argument. "Besides," Zidane continued. "Neither Dagger or I are of royal blood, everyone knows so at this point. Adopting a someone into the royal family hardly seems like an oddity at this point."

Steiner found himself nodding. "You're probably right."

"I know that I am!" Zidane smirked. "And it obviously won't be any time soon, but when the time is right, and if Dagger is alright with it too, though i'm positive she'll have no objections. She practically dragged me to the dungeon just to meet him!"

"Well, you are king and you can do as you please in this regard, though I'll admit i'm curious as to why you're so fixated on this boy." 

Zidane gathered all the finished paperwork and put it to the side. "Because I was like him once. Alone, abandoned, in a place I knew nothing about. Couldn't read, write, fight, couldn't even hardly talk for awhile. Baku took us all in, Me, Blank, Cinna, Marcus, everyone in Tantalus. He didn't have to, he could've just ignored the scared, aggressive kid with a tail that washed up on Lindblum's shores, but instead took it upon himself to raise a bunch of orphans."

"To be thieves." Steiner retorted. 

" **Oh, would you stop!** None of us are thieves anymore! And neither is Tucker! So quit it before I kick you!"

"My apologies, I didn't mean-" Steiner wavered.

"Forget it." Zidane got up from the throne and started picking up the shards of the teacup. "I know you're just being you and we're both tired. I'll apologize to Quina tomorrow for the cup." He grabbed the paperwork with his free hand and bat Steiner on the shoulder with it playfully as he walked by him. "Get some sleep. We'll talk more about this later." Steiner nodded and started down the hallway after him. Zidane stopped abruptly causing Steiner to do the same. Oh I almost forgot, I've summoned Marcus, Blank, and Cinna to the castle on some business. They'll probably show up in a few days. Just thought i'd let you know."

"What kind of business if I may ask?" Steiner looked at his king with mild concern which Zidane returned with a smile.

"Let's just say a bounty hunt for Pelops is in the works and leave it at that."

******

"You want me to do what?" Tucker looked at Zidane confused. 

"I want you to break in again. We'll go to Gargan Roo and you'll show me how you got in with all the details."

"O-okay... Any reason why?"

"I gotta make sure the castle is safe, Tucker. We're pretty lucky it was you and not some crazy murderer. Once you show me how you got in, i'll have to figure out a way to seal it off in case anyone else gets a bright idea. Don't worry about the monsters, i've got your back!" Zidane patted the dagger on his waist. Tucker reluctantly agreed and the two of them made their way through the dungeon and down the ladder to Gargan Roo.

"It might take me a bit to find where I got in again." Tucker looked around the entrance, trying to remember. "I didn't really even find it in the first place."

"Take your time, kiddo. There's no rush."

Tucker ran one of his hands on the walls as they walked while Zidane kept his eye out for monsters. "I think is was over here...?" Tucker eyed a switch point and knelt down to one of the wall slabs.

"I guess it was a while ago, huh? Hard to remember a secret passage you've only used once."

"It's not just that..." Tucker started patting down the wall. "We're usually blindfolded until we reach our destination, so we didn't know where we were or couldn't figure out a way to escape if we tried to run off." Zidane opened his mouth to continue the conversation, but his anger stopped him from saying anything. "Here it is-" Tucker pushed in one of the slabs and it moved sideways, allowing him to turn it like a door. 

"Huh." Zidane crouched down and peered into the entrance. "And where does it lead?"

Tucker replied by slipping himself through the small hole and then shutting the slab behind him. "Wait for me in the area that connects to your chambers and the spare room. You'll see." Muffled Tucker. 

"Alright, i'll see you there." Zidane made a quick mark on the slab for when he'd come back to it and then made his way out of Gargan Roo. When he arrived at the appointed spot, Tucker had yet to show. He waited patiently and looked around the area for any obvious exits, but if the entryway in Gargan Roo wasn't, then this one probably wasn't going to be either. 

"Hey!" A familiar voice commanded Zidane's attention. Walking towards him was Blank, Marcus, and Cinna. 

"Oh, hey! You guys showed up quicker than I expected." They all did the Tantalus salute for old times sake before laughing it off. 

"You called all of us so we thought it was pretty important." Blank shrugged. "We took the earliest ship out."

"I appreciate it and it is important, just uh, give me a few minutes before I get into it." Zidane started looking around the hall again. They exchanged quizzical glances before the sound of stone moving caught their attention. High above the knight statues, they all spied a stone panel being moved, and a small head popping out of the hole soon after. Tucker was out of breath and slumped over, taking in large gulps of air. "There you are! I was starting to think I lost you!"

"I tried to get here as fast as I could..." Tucker coughed. 

"Woah, what's going on? Who's the kid?" Marcus stared up at Tucker. 

"That's Tucker, my new page and ex-thief. He was showing me how he got into the castle."

"Wow..." Cinna marveled. "He's up really high, is he gonna be OK?"

"Can you get down Tucker? Do you want me to get one of the cleaning ladders? Or would going back to Gargan Roo be easier?"

Tucker smirked and flipped himself out of the exit, gracefully landing on top of the towers housing the knight statues. He then slid down it, landed on one the statue's heads and finished off the movement by jumping onto the floor in front of Zidane. "That's how I got in." Tucker caught his breath. 

"Man, Baku would've loved to have had you in the group when we were growing up." Blank looked over Tucker with amazement.

"No kidding, I don't think any of us were that agile." Cinna added. 

Tucker looked at them all warily but Zidane's hand on his shoulder made him jump. "That was pretty impressive, but geez, don't do that again. I about had a heart attack." Zidane was doing poorly hiding his shock.

"I'll try not to." He gave Zidane a genuine smile, taking him aback. He soon smiled back and then brought the focus back to the trio. 

"Alright, now that we're all here, we can get started. Follow me everyone." They all entered into the spare room that Zidane had remodeled into a small meeting room and office from the bedroom it used to be. They all sat down except Tucker who tentatively stood in the doorway. "You too, Tucker, you're an important part of this meeting." Zidane gestured to an empty seat. Tucker sat down and tried to not look too uncomfortable among so many strangers. "So, what have you guys been up to? I hope I didn't pull you away from anything important."

"Well, Marcus and I work part time as actors in Lindblum, but we do odd jobs here and there for extra cash, usually smaller monster bounties." Blank answered.

"And I work as an airship engineer with Cid. I see your pal Amarant around a lot." Cinna added.

Zidane smirked at the 'pal' comment and continued. "And the boss has taken to lazing around all day last I heard."

"Eh, he's old now, leave em' be" Marcus shrugged. 

Zidane nodded and then leaned back in his chair. "I'm just gonna stop beating around the bush and say it. How would you guys like to work full time for me for awhile? I need your help with something." They all looked at each other before turning back to Zidane. 

"What did you have in mind?" Blank asked. 

"How much do you know about the thief group, Pelops?" Zidane prodded. Tucker paled and then shot a panicked look at Zidane. Zidane ignored it as they answered. 

"Not much." Marcus shrugged.

"Aren't they the ones responsible for those missing kids?" Cinna scratched his head. 

"Something like that. I think I saw a wanted poster for them a while back," Blank confirmed. "Why bring them up?"

"Because I want them found and stopped," Zidane stated plainly. "And if anyone knows how to find a group of thieves, it's a retired group of thieves."

"Well, I'd say you're not wrong..." Blank crossed his arms. "But we're all super out of practice, plus we'd need information to go on, and we've got nothing."

"Ohhhh yes you do!" Zidane pointed to Tucker. "We have an ex-member of Pelops in our midst." All eyes fell on Tucker and he felt like it was his turn to have a heart attack.

"Really? Well, after that little show he put on out there, I believe it." Marcus eyed Tucker. 

"...What are you doing?" Tucker wheezed.

"Just tell them what you've told me, and more, if you can manage it. I'd like you to be able to live a life of not constantly looking over your shoulder. Let us help."

Tucker met Zidane's noble gaze with skepticism, but he gave in, knowing that he was in no position to argue. He sighed away his anxiety and took a breath. "I'll tell you what I can. Where do you want me to start?"

"How about where they keep their base?" Blank asked. 

"They move around," Tucker answered. "And the kids are blindfolded at all times unless they're eating or being put on a job. Older members have the ability to come and go as they please."

"They're probably in several groups stationed all over," Cinna proposed. "Which would make them harder to track."

"This is their sign." Tucker took off his left glove and slid his hand towards the three "I vaguely remember it being carved into a wall one time when I was eating."

Cinna took a small notebook from his pocket and started to sketch it out. Marcus grimaced at the sight of it. "The hell, can you even use this hand, kid?" 

"No." Tucker answered. "It was a punishment for trying to run off, however, every member has this on them somewhere. It's usually a lot smaller though and somewhere you can't see."

Cinna finished sketching and Tucker pulled his hand back. "How'd you get out then?"

"I failed a mission and they left me. They do it to members they don't see as an asset anymore. I'm supposed to just keep my mouth shut in instances like this, but whatever, I don't give a damn anymore." Tucker shoved his glove back on and sunk into his chair. 

"They took advantage of the war and have been slowly becoming a bigger problem in more recent years. I'd like to get them under control now that I have the full story. That's where you guys come in. I need some trustworthy people who know the ins and outs of this continent, and I know you guys do, I was there too. Of course i'll reward you, that goes without saying. So, are you in?" Zidane proposed. 

The three thought for awhile before Marcus piped up. "The theatre really doesn't need us right now, right?"

"Yeah, we're just understudies, we can back out, no problem." Blank confirmed. 

"And I can take some time off, i'm sure Cid would understand if he knew you were sending us off on a mission." Cinna added. 

Zidane smiled at the loyalty of his 'family'."I'll send word ahead if you'd like." Zidane started giving out all the plans for their travel accommodations and chatting about their reward as Tucker felt dread starting to overtake him. Whether they were successful or not, what Tucker had spilled to these people would put him in danger if word got out that it was him who sold out the group. 

"Please..." He pleaded quietly and the current conversation ceased. "Keep my name out this if you do happen to encounter them. I really-" Tucker choked back some tears "I really don't want to be caught again and carved up as an 'example'. They probably know i'm here, watching, making sure i'm not betraying them."

Zidane looked at Tucker with a worried expression. "That's not going to happen, Tucker. You're safe here."

"Am I?" Tucker looked fearful. "If there's one secret passage, there's probably more. And besides, the last kid who decided to let a few secrets out thought he was safe too. Until he was dragged back-" Tucker's words got caught in his throat as he stopped to remember the scene. He sat up abruptly and let out the breath he was holding."I'm not feeling well-" He felt bile rising in his throat. "I'm sorry-" He managed as he marched himself out of the room in search of a place to calm himself. He heard Zidane's voice call out to him as his body gave out and he fell to his knees. He tried to steady his breathing only to be met with hyperventilating.

"Tucker, _Tucker-!_ " Zidane caught up with him and held his shoulders "It's alright, kid. It's alright. Deep breaths. Come on, lean on me and i'll take you back to your quarters." He gave Marcus, Cinna, and Blank a nod before helping Tucker along. The three of them started to make their way out of the castle. 

"I was just gonna take this job because Zidane was asking, but it's personal now." Blank fumed.

"Yeah, boss is gonna be pissed once he finds out that what we thought was copycat group is a group of scumbags." Cinna stared at the notepad sketch. 

"Not to mention Zidane is clearly gonna be taking that kid under his wing. If he didn't have all his kingly duties, he'd probably hunt them down himself." Marcus eyed the duo as they turned a corner. "Come on, let's get back to Lindblum, we've got planning to do."

******

Zidane entered his and Dagger's chambers and fell back onto the couch. He let out a long sigh as he covered his eyes with his arm.

"Goodness, that was a big one." Dagger pointed out, entering the room herself. 

"Sorry..." Zidane replied, not moving his position. He felt Dagger's hand over his and he lifted his arm from his face.

"What's wrong, Zidane? I saw Blank and the others a bit ago, does it have something to do with that?"

He nodded. "Yeah, i'm having them hunt down Pelops. Sorry for not putting it past you first."

She intertwined her fingers with his. "Well, i'm not upset with you, I think that's a fantastic idea."

"Thanks, that makes me feel a little bit better."

"Oh dear, what else is ailing you? You know you can tell me." Zidane met her honest eyes with a gaze of uncertainty. He knew he'd bring it up eventually, but the time seemed right.

"I want to adopt Tucker." He waited for her reply, wanting to know her outlook, only to be met with tears as she covered her mouth. Zidane's heart sank with her expression. "Dagger, oh no, i'm sorry-" He reached out to her face only to have her shake her head. 

"No... It's-" She held back a sob. "I want that too...!" 

His heart soared as she reached out to him and he embraced her, kissing the top of her head. "He's going to need a lot of time before we even think about asking him, but i'm overjoyed that you feel the same."

"Oh Zidane-!" She sniffled "I'm so glad! I didn't know how to bring it up, but as soon as you told me of his circumstances I wanted to do nothing but make him happy!"

He stroked her hair, lovingly. "In due time, we will. Let's try to get him accustomed to life here first. When the time is right, we'll ask him." Dagger dried her tears and placed a kiss on Zidane's lips. He pulled her closer and continued it for a bit longer. They separated and Zidane spoke again. "We have to watch over him for now. He's extremely fragile. I feel awful about it, but I was having him give information to Blank, Marcus, and Cinna and he had a full blown panic attack. I helped him to his room and apologized, and he told me not to worry, but how do you not worry after witnessing something like that?" 

"The poor thing..." Dagger sympathized. "I can only hope that we put his fears to rest sooner than later." 

"Let's do our best to."


	15. Doubts

Life in Alexandria was strange to Tucker. Having lived his entire life until then being someone's pawn and suddenly becoming page was still something he had a hard time getting his head around. He had so badly wanted freedom in the past and now that he had a taste of it, all he felt was uncertainty. The king and queen were kind to him, insomuch that he heard a few of the guards in the castle jealously whisper about him and his treatment. He decided it best to keep quiet and keep his distance from anyone who wasn't having to escort him around. Rose shared none of the sentiments of the guards or Tucker's and was happy to spend time with him outside of being an escort. While Dr. Tot was more than happy to be tutoring again, Tucker's progress was slow as he fumbled through the alphabet and struggled to get a grasp on the basics of everything else. Rose was more than willing to use what free time was given to her to help out her fellow page, but Steiner was wary of their relationship, often interrupting them to escort Tucker elsewhere in an attempt to seperate them.

This started to bud a discourse between them, Beatrix often having to stop spats before they started. When Tucker learned of this, he felt awful and decided it would be best that he go immediately back to his quarters after being taught to prevent any further drama. He continually felt as if he didn't fit here. It wasn't long until Zidane found out.

"Steiner." Zidane called out to him cooly. "My office." Zidane closed the door behind them and didn't even bother to offer a seat. "Alright, you've made your disdain for Tucker obvious. Spit it out, what's the problem?"

"I have no 'problem' with the boy in general, but I do not approve of him spending time with Rose."

"They're both pages! They're supposed to be together for their duties!"

"They are spending more time together outside their duties!"

"She's helping him learn how to read, Steiner. I've spied on them a few times myself. You need to calm down."

" **I will not!** He is several years her senior and I do not approve of them spending more time than they need to together. You are not a parent, you would not possibly understand-!" Steiner stopped his outburst, realizing what he had uttered. Zidane hid any trace of hurt on his face as walked by Steiner and sat at his desk, piled high with papers, concealing his shape. "Milord-!" Steiner bowed down onto one knee. "Forgive me, that was thoughtless...!"

"Yeah, I guess I wouldn't." Zidane agreed, dryly. There was the sound of scribbling on paper before Zidane spoke again. "I won't have Rose escort Tucker anymore until you have full trust in him, so, to ensure that you eventually can come to trust him, i'll have you take over her escort duties until further notice." Zidane finished his writing and then held up the paper above the pile "Here, these are his duties for today. I'll inform Beatrix of your absence until you finish. That is all."

Steiner took the paper from Zidane and he immediately went back to writing. Steiner walked to the door and turned back for a moment. "I truly am sorry, Zidane."

He heard Zidane sigh away some of his more raw emotions before answering. "It's fine, I know you didn't mean it. I just think i'd like to be alone for awhile, alright?"

"Of course." Steiner quietly closed the door behind him. He stared at the small list of tasks listed out for Tucker as he started towards the lad's quarters. All of them were simple and really not at all in needing supervision, but as Steiner had yet to actually observe Tucker at work, he decided that this was indeed the best opportunity to garner some trust with him. He found Tucker still in his quarters with his door slightly ajar, having trouble getting the tie on his uniform straight. After he eventually succeeded, Steiner knocked on his door and opened it. Tucker certainly wasn't expecting to see Steiner and hastily saluted.

"G-General Steiner, good morning!"

"Indeed it is. I shall be taking over escort duties from now on. The King has given me a list of your duties today so let us get started." The first order of business was to collect petitions to the queen and king in the city that were collected in a box by the front gate. It was then followed by delivering an envelope to Ruby and finally to pick up an order of some kind from the blacksmith. In each task, Tucker carried himself in a much better manner than Steiner expected and his animosity towards the boy slowly began to fade. However, his curiosity remained as he watched Tucker row the gondola back to the castle. He was able to manage it decently despite his hand, though his fatigue was starting to show halfway through. "Do you need to rest?" Steiner started to feel pity.

"Nope, I'm OK." Tucker replied, trying to hide his tired grunts.

Steiner decided to leave him to it and changed the subject. "Tell me, what exactly have you been doing with Rose."

"H-huh?" Tucker was taken off guard, almost dropping the oar.

"Speak freely." He offered and Tucker regained his composure.

"She's been helping me work through my homework and... Reading to me."

"Reading what?"

"The book, uh, what's it called? The one with you in it."

"Memoria."

"Yeah, that one. I told her I really didn't know what went on during that time and she insisted that she read it to me."

"You... Truly know nothing of what happened?"

"I was really small when the Battle of Lindblum happened, I have vague memories of it, but everything else is just being carried from place to place and doing jobs. I don't think they really cared enough to keep us informed."

"Is it possible your parents yet live?"

Tucker wheezed out a laugh. Nope, they're long gone. Mom lived in the Industrial District and I remember her running with me before disappearing into the sky. I really have no idea how I survived, but when I came to, I was already in the hands of Pelops."

"What of your father?"

"I'm a bastard child, never had one." Tucker answered plainly.

 _'You will soon enough'_ Steiner thought as he felt a prick in his heart, remembering his and Zidane's conversation. "...Where did Rose leave off the last time she was reading?"

"Um..." Tucker looked up in thought. "When yourself, the King, Freya, and Amarant were in Oelvert, I think."

Steiner thought back to the memory and nodded. It wasn't as fresh in his mind as he thought, but he remembered the stress of the situation all too well. The courtyard's port got closer and he decided to pose one more question before they docked. "Do you feel any animosity towards the Queen?"

"What? No. Why would I?"

"For what her Eidolon did to your home."

Tucker closed his eyes for a moment to recall the scene, but he shook his head. "I know exactly how it feels to be used. I guess I could rationalize being upset, but, it doesn't matter anymore."

"And why is that?"

"Because this is my home now." He stated plainly. His answered surprised Steiner insomuch he couldn't hide it on his face. Tucker noticed and immediately recoiled. "Er, that is, if i'm allowed to stay here." The gondola docked and Tucker gathered the bundles of papers and package from a silent Steiner. As soon as they entered the main hall entrance, they saw Dagger and Zidane chatting with Quina before s/he ran off towards the kitchen. Zidane noticed Tucker immediately after and called him over.

"Heeeey! Thanks for picking that stuff up! Bring it here!" Tucker ran over as Steiner waited patiently to the side. As he looked upon the the three, he saw a quick image flash in his mind, where instead of Tucker greeting them with a salute, he saw Zidane playfully ruffling Tucker's hair and Dagger lovingly cupping his face. "Steiner, you're excused." Zidane's voice broke him away. He noticed that Zidane was wearing a happier expression as he and Dagger walked away with Tucker in tow, in stark contrast to what he wore in his office earlier that day. Steiner's heart felt heavy as he made his way to meet Beatrix. He had built up the boy in his mind to be nothing like he actually was and felt awful for it.

"You look quite pale, are you alright?" Beatrix approached him.

Steiner looked into the worried face of his wife and then closed his eyes. "I... Am a fool." He uttered. "I've let idiotic prejudices I thought I had long forgotten interfere in things I should have no hand in."

"Steiner." Beatrix lifted her hand to catch a tear caught in the corner of his eye. "It is our duty to oversee and protect the royal family. Whatever you have done, I know that you did it with their safety in mind."

"Even so-"

"And even so, you are able to see your mistakes and wish to amend them. We are not perfect, my love, and it takes more than our integrity to watch over the royal family as they continue to grow." She gently placed her other hand on his cheek. "And that includes the child they have chosen to bring into their life."

Steiner leaned into her hand placing his hand over hers. "You're absolutely right."

******

The need for Tucker to have an escort quickly faded as he started to excel in his duties. After Steiner relented on keeping Rose away from him, he saw that her presence was one of the keys to his growth. While his studies were still on the slow side, Zidane saw no reason to rush him. A few months passed and Dagger's birthday celebration was upon them. Tucker's duties tripled as he was continually having to make trips with Rose to gather more supplies or pick up decorations in the city. Rose was going over their list as Tucker followed behind with bags carrying everything she had already checked off. 

"Just one thing left! Thanks for coming along Tucker, your help made quick work of everything!"

"It's no problem. What's left?"

"You tell me." She held out the paper him. 

"S-T-E... Ste-steeple? What's at the steeple?"

"Did you forget? There will be a lot of people watching the performance on the roofs of their houses, but the steeple is off limits as a certain Black Mage used it to sneak into the castle many years ago. We keep the area heavily guarded nowadays, but the steeple needs to be closed off regardless, just in case."

"Right." Tucker nodded. "So we'll close it off now?"

"How about you drop everything off at a gondola and i'll head over first?"

"Sure, i'll be right over." Tucker slung his bags over his shoulder as he quickly walked back to the gondolas while Rose left in the opposite direction. He was relieved to see a gondola ready and manned by a knight so he didn't have to wait for one to show up or take one himself back. Once everything was loaded on, the knight went on their way and he did also. Tucker reached the ticket booth area before he was stopped by a familiar voice. Steiner marched over to him as he saluted. 

"Have you finished your duties?"

"Almost. Rose and I have to close off the steeple. She went on ahead."

"Very well, run along and be carefu-" A loud explosion roared through the air followed by a buzz of panic from all surrounding citizens. " **What in the blazes was that!?** " Steiner looked around frantically for the source. 

A few exclamations had Tucker follow pointed fingers to a rising smoke that started to crawl further skyward. It was in the direction of the steeple. The direction of Rose. Tucker started running. Everything was a blur as he weaved through the fleeing crowd. He passed the the mini theatre and sharply turned to meet a wave of heat. The steeple was on fire and Rose nowhere to be seen. Kupo the moogle was fluttering nearby and Tucker ran to her.

"Did a girl with an outfit similar to mine come by here!?"

"S-she's inside, kupo!" She squeaked. 

" **ROSE-!** " Steiner ran past Tucker to the steeple and began clawing away at the caved-in entrance. Time felt like it stopped. Tucker glanced all over for another point of entry. Some debris from an affected house has piled up, making a climbable ramp up to the top of the steeple. He prayed the ladder as still intact as he made a running jump. He made it and quickly ascended up what was left of the roof, ignoring the heat as he peered down the steeple. The ladder was still there. Tucker heard Steiner scream 'what are you doing' before taking a deep breath, and jumping down into the blaze. The heat was unbearable, the smoke thick. There was debris everywhere. 

"Rose!" Tucker wheezed. He heard someone coughing in reply. He found her, legs covered in wooden beams, a small trail of blood dripping from her forehead. 

"Tuck...er...?" She panted as he started to lift the beams off of her. 

"Can you stand!?" She snapped out of her daze and moved her legs out of the way as Tucker let the beams go. She quickly got up only to almost fall down again. "Lean on me!" Tucker put her arm over his shoulder and practically started dragging her towards the ladder. He pushed her up and she desperately started climbing. The fire was spreading to the ladder fast as Tucker started after her. "Don't stop!" He cried out in reply to Rose hesitating to the the spreading flames. She ignored her pain further as a few flames licked at her fingers. She emerged after one more small push from Tucker and he soon followed after. "Over there...!" He wheezed, pointing at the makeshift ramp. "Go..!"

She tried to stand up to move over to it, only to be met with the roof creaking violently. It shifted as she tried to move again, opening a hole next to her. " _I... Can't!_ " 

" **Hold on!** " Steiner bellowed and started to move up the ramp, but his armor was too heavy to make him nimble enough to climb it. 

Tucker looked down into the hole. The flames were rising, they were sinking. It wouldn't be long until they both fell back down. He knew what he had to do. "Rose..." She faced him with tears streaming down her face. "Sorry about this..." Tucker used every last bit of strength to push Rose onto the ramp. The movement cracked what was left of what was supporting them, causing Tucker plummet back down to the bottom. 

" **TUCKER-!** " Rose wailed as he disappeared. 

Red. A pool of red seeped into the charred bricks as Tucker's sight faded in and out. _'Oh'_ Tucker thought _'I got blood on my uniform, Steiner will be mad...'_

Orange. The fire danced around him and reached out to him, lapping at the pool. _'I'll properly apologize later to Rose for pushing her... That was mean...'_

Pink. A strange light started to shine through the cracks of the fallen entrance. _'So... Tired... So...w...a..r....m...'_

Black. His consciousness left him. 

******

Zidane emerged from the burning steeple with Tucker in his arms, his blood staining the otherworldly fur as the Trance endured. "Move away from here!" Zidane barked at Steiner, holding his weeping daughter. "Dagger is summoning Leviathan!" The dragon emerged near the docks as they turned the corner for cover. The wave it manifested was large enough to quell the flames, but not flood the untouched houses as it clashed against the steeple. It smoldered and collapsed as Leviathan slithered off out of sight. Zidane's Trance faded as Dagger and Beatrix joined them. 

" **Let me see him!** " Dagger fell to her knees with a healing spell on her fingertips, casting it onto Tucker desperately. 

"Come on kid...!" Zidane pleaded. " _Come on!_ "

"He saved me-!" Rose weeped as Beatrix started her own healing spell on her daughter. 

"Shh, don't talk Rose." Beatrix readied another spell.

" **Stop healing me! _Heal Tucker!_** "

Beatrix looked over to Dagger desperately trying to have success on Tucker's lifeless body. She grabbed Dagger's hand and placed it on Tucker's heart and then placed her's over it. "Together." She commanded and Dagger nodded. The advanced spell glowed about Tucker as they poured everything they had into it. They waited, ready to start another, when Dagger gasped. 

"His heart is beating...!" 

******

He felt a warm hand in his as he came to, and the harsh pain of burns soon after. "...Augh... What...?" He uttered, trying to focus on the swirling ceiling above him. His hearing cleared with his sight as he squeezed the hand back involuntarily. He managed to move his head over to see a dirty-blond haired man with a long tail grasping his hand, starting to stir from his sleep. Their eyes met.

"Tucker!" He exclaimed. "You're finally back with us! Hold on, i'll go get the doctor!" He raced out of the room, leaving him alone to take in his surroundings. He was unfamiliar with this room. The man returned with another, this one with a long beak and stout stature. 

"Hello Tucker," He started to take out various medical equipment. "I'm happy you decided to rejoin us. Now tell me, are you feeling pain anywhere?"

"...My side."

"That's understandable. You had quite a spill and broke your arm. It will heal in time. There are also some burns that may leave a bit of scarring, but i'll do my best to prevent that."

He didn't reply, but instead started blankly at the ceiling. The first man spoke again. "Tucker, is there any other place hurting? You should tell Dr. Tot everything so he can help."

He took a deep breath before turning his head back to them. "I... Just... Who... Who are you?"

"...What do you mean, Tucker?"

"Is... That me?"

Zidane's face twisted into horror as the realization of Tucker's situation hit him. Dr. Tot observed as Zidane continued to try and jog the boy's memory. "Yes, it is."

"Okay..."

"Tucker, try to remain calm as I ask you this." Dr. Tot interjected. "What do you remember?"

There was a long silence as he searched his mind for anything, a shred of his identity, but came up with nothing. "Nothing... There's nothing..." He shook. 

Zidane felt his heart drop as he watched the boy shake with fear. What could he do? _What could he do?_ A sudden, thought came to him, and he cursed himself for evening thinking it up, but he saw no better way to continue. He fought back tears as he reached out to Tucker.

"Tucker," Zidane took his hand again and gave him a warm smile. "Listen very carefully to what i'm about to tell you." Tucker tried to focus on Zidane through his watering eyes. "You're in the kingdom of Alexandria, ruled by myself; Zidane Tribal Alexandros I and my wife; Garnet Til Alexandros XVII. And you-" Zidane blinked back tears. "Are our son."


	16. Remains

"When I arrived at the steeple," Rose started. "I found Kupo there and she obliged to the steeple shutdown as always, moving outside so I could get started." Rose was surrounded by her family with Zidane and Dagger while Dr. Tot dressed the wound on her head as she continued to speak. "I moved to the back of the steeple, starting my inspection, when I heard someone coming down the ladder. I thought it might've been a worker using a shortcut, so I called out to whoever was descending. All sound of movement stopped as I turned to the ladder's entrance, and for a moment, I saw a figure, but the next thing I remember was Tucker lifting the debris off me, us both surrounded by fire..." She shook, trying to find a way to stop her tears. 

"Steiner, was there a body found in the search of the steeple?" Zidane asked.

"No, milord, there was nothing but rubble."

Zidane brought his fist to his forehead in thought, trying to understand what might have happened. 

"Has he-" Rose's choked back her tears. "Has he really forgotten everything?" 

They were all silent as Dr. Tot's finished cutting the bandage on Rose's head. "I'm afraid so, whether it's to be permanent is yet to be seen." Dr. Tot answered her. 

Rose's tears spilled as the thoughts of the past few months where there was a blooming friendship had completely vanished. Was this her fault? " _I'm sorry-!_ " She bowed her head. " _I should have...!_ "

"Rose," She felt Zidane's hand on top of her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. This isn't your fault. Nobody could have known this was going to happen." She continued to weep as Zidane removed his hand and turned to face everyone in the room. "Now, I need everyone's attention. There's something I need to tell you all."

******

Alexandria's streets were abuzz with rumors as everyone was trying to chase away fears of whatever caused the steeple fire. 

"Have you heard? That little page boy saved Rose from the fire! Thank goodness they're both alright!" 

"They're not I heard! The boy hit his head and forgot everything! The word is that the King and Queen are personally taking care of him as a reward for being so heroic!"

"The poor dear! What will become of him once he recovers?"

"Well, I heard that they're going to be adopting him! We'll finally have an heir!"

"Really now! That's some interesting news!"

" _If_ that's true, when do you think they'll let the public know?"

"If he's sitting with the King and Queen during the performance in a few days, we'll know for sure!"

"Is the birthday celebration still on? What if there's another explosion!?"

"It seems like it was a freak accident, I don't think we have anything to worry about."

"I hope so..." 

Steiner ignored the annoying chatter as he made his rounds in the city, frantically looking for something. "Where could have he gone!? A boy does not just simply vanish!" He muttered as he wondered if anyone in the castle was having better luck. 

Back at the castle, every guard was frantically searching, all echoing the same name as they paced the halls. "Prince Tucker!" Rose called out among them. 

"Any luck?" Zidane jogged past her and she shook her head. "Keep at it, he's around somewhere!"

Rose moved to the west tower where she had already checked thoroughly. She stopped to lean on the wall as her injury was beginning to throb. The sound of the Neptune statue returning caught her attention and she pushed the door open.

"Prince Tucker!?" She yelled into the empty room. She stared up at the statue's face and with an angry pout. The statue had to be manned for it to move, so it returning by itself was odd. However, it had malfunctioned in the past. She stepped onto it and took the flushing elevator down to the the port, hoping it wouldn't abandon her here as she stepped off of it. The sea air brushed against her face as she emerged into the open bridge. The scene in front of her was being shared by a another, leaning on one of the bridge's lamps. "Prince Tucker! This is where you've been!" Relief filled her as she approached him. 

He turned his head to her and wrinkled his brow at the sight of her face. He was quiet until the word he was looking for surfaced. "...Rose..."

"Yes sir!" She saluted. "Milord, you can't just leave your quarters without telling anyone! Everyone in the castle is searching for you!"

"Oh..." He simply replied.

"Furthermore, you're still injured! You need to be resting!"

Tucker looked down to his bandaged, slinged, arm and then to the bandages covering Rose's head. He reached out with his free hand and touched them. "Shouldn't you... Be resting... Too?"

Rose's eyes watered as she grabbed Tucker's hand and placed it back at his side. "I'm fine, milord."

"No you're... Not... You're crying."

Rose quickly rubbed away her tears and forced a smile. "Nope! I'm fine, see! Now come on, let's get you back!"

"Is... It... Something I forgot?" Tucker looked at her sadly. Rose felt the air in her chest constrict as she tried to find the right words. She wasn't to speak of the incident to him, nor their time together as pages. He was a prince now, and even though her heart ached for her lost friend, she knew letting her heart rule her emotions would only bring them both more pain. 

"Prince Tucker." She looked him in the eyes. "There are many things you've forgotten that are best left unsaid, but if there's one thing I want you to remember, it's this." She knelt on one knee in front of him. "I am forever in your debt and I will devote my life to protecting you just as you did me. I will not fail you in this, I promise." She looked up to his worried expression with one of determination. "I will become your knight!"

******

"What a mess." Eiko sighed. "What do you think caused the explosion?" She called down to a working Amarant as she handed him his needed tool. He begrudgingly took it from her and continued to work on the engine of the Eiko Garde I.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be? You're in the way."

"Just answer the question, Amarant! Geez!"

Amarant shook his head and continued to work. "Who knows."

Eiko made a noise of disgust in reply. "Always so full of wisdom." She grumbled. Amarant decided that humouring her would probably be better than ignoring her. 

"Maybe the thief group Zidane's after did something."

"Maybe?" Eiko echoed. "Blank and the others have caught a few ex-members prowling around, so, retaliation?"

"I doubt it. They've really only rounded up a bunch of rejects that hardly know anything."

"That's true." She took the tool that Amarant was holding out to her and replaced it with another. "I just hope that page-kid is OK. What was it, Tucker? He threw himself into the fire to rescue Rose."

"Dumb kid should've just waited for help to show up."

"Hey!" Eiko glared down at him. "Would you have waited around if someone you cared about was stuck in that kind of situation?"

"Depends."

"Oh, big, tough guy Amarant is playing the stoic card. Why am I not surprised?"

"Eiko, would you just get lost already?"

"It's my airship. Deal with it!" Eiko stuck her tongue out at him. 

"I can't believe you're still this insufferable after all these years." He muttered under his breath.

"What was that!?"

"I said 'shut up, brat.'"

" _Sure_ you did."

Amarant tolerated Eiko for the rest of the day until his shift ended. He was exceedingly glad that Hilda called her away before she could try to 'walk' him home. When he entered his front door, he saw Lani and Keahi earnestly peeking out the back window by their dining table. 

"What are you two doing?"

"Come here!" Lani waved him over with a whisper. 

He put down his bag and joined them by the window, leaning his arm above it so he could see through it. Behind their house was a fence divider and a small bin to store their trash. He saw nothing of note as he peered out. "What am I looking at?"

"Just wait." Lani whispered. A few minutes passed as the three of them stared into the fence. Just as Amarant was about to protest, he saw the fence wiggle as a small pair of hand appeared on top of it. 

"There she is!" Keahi ducked down to the windowsill. A small girl lifted herself with little effort up and over the fence and struggle to find her footing as she was a few feet off the ground. She let herself drop, making a pained face as her bare feet hit the cobblestone. She shook the pain out of them before she moved over to the trash bin. 

"Keahi told me he saw this girl rooting through the trash a few neighbours down as he was walking home. He watched her move to the next house and then ran back here to tell me." They watched her open the bin only to find it empty. Her face had a twinge of disappointment as she shut it and moved over to the next fence. A quick gust of wind pushed the girl's hair out of the way momentarily, revealing a familiar symbol carved into her skin behind her left ear. It was the exact same to the one Cinna had shown to Amarant in his notebook before taking off. 

"You've got to be kidding me." Amarant muttered as he took a step towards the back door.

"You're gonna catch her?" Keahi called out. 

"Stay here." He ordered as he turned the doorknob. The girl had already started to lift herself up the next fence when he approached her. She successfully lifted herself up, but this time took a quick break to catch her breath. She glanced back to see Amarant staring her down causing her to gasp so violently that she jerked herself off the fence and backwards into the next property. 

"IS SHE OK!?" Amarant heard Lani yell as he easily jumped over the fence and found the girl sunken and stuck in a shrubbery. She struggled against the plant as Amarant towered over her. He effortlessly plucked her out of it by her tattered dress and jumped back over. She tried to pry herself from his grasp, but her kicks were far from reaching him. 

"Oh my gosh, is she bleeding!?"

Amarant looked at her and then back to the shrubbery that now had a child shaped hole in it. There were a few red berries growing on it that she has undeniably crushed in her struggle. "She's fine, she fell in a holly bush or something-" The girl grabbed Amarant's hand and pulled herself up to it, promptly biting down. He dropped her in reply and she quickly scampered off and took a running jump for the fence. "That hurt...!" Amarant quickly pried her off the fence, this time by one of her arms. He used his free hand to push her head down to prevent a repeat bite. She in turn held up her free hand towards him and the beginnings of a spell emanated from her palm. 

" **Red, watch out!** " Lani warned. Amarant jumped them both out of the way as a blizzard spell shattered where they had previously been standing. 

"I can see why they found you useful," Amarant sneered at the look of rage and defeat on the girl's face. "But enough already, know when you're beat." He hit a pressure point on her neck and she lost consciousness, helping Amarant get her into a proper carrying position as he reentered his house. 

"Is... Is she dead?" Keahi looked at her cautiously. Lani flicked Keahi's ear for the stupid question before reaching out and taking the girl from Amarant. -"Ow!"

"Alright, you got her, now what?" Lani looked down into her slumbering face. 

"Look behind her left ear. She's got the symbol of the group Zidane's trying to take down on her." 

Lani spied the symbol and grimaced. "A kid this young? Really? Ugh, what is wrong with people?" She shook her head started towards the bathroom. "You work on contacting Zidane and i'll get her cleaned up."

"Are you gonna be OK by yourself? She can use Black Magic!" Keahi worried.

"So can I. If she comes to I'm sure I can handle it." Lani closed the door behind her.

"Keahi," Amarant grabbed his attention. "I want you to go to the bulletin board at all the stations and see if anyone's posted a missing child notice with her features." 

"O-okay!" He quickly replied and was out the door. Amarant didn't like the idea of seeing Eiko again that day, but putting letters through Mognet was much faster than relying on their alternative. He wrote a quick message asking Zidane to visit as soon as he was free and then took off towards the castle. 

******

The girl's attitude became that of defeat. While the Coral family waited for Zidane to get back to them, they kept watch over her in the small spare room they were initially using for storage. She refused to eat, hardly slept, and any attempt to get close to her had her curl up into a ball, shaking with fear. There was no luck with trying to locate a missing child notice for her and the fact that she also couldn't seem to talk complicated the situation further. Amarant still kept going to work, hoping to hear some word or see Zidane at his doorstep when he returned. 

"Amarant!" Eiko called out to him. "'Someone' is at your house right now and asked me tell you."

"Finally." He cleaned off his hands and jumped down from his station. 

"You wanna tell me what's going on?" Eiko asked as he walked by her.

"I'm sure you'll snoop it out sooner or later." He replied, not looking back. Amarant ignored her huff as he briskly walked out of the castle and took the quickest route home. He opened his door to find Zidane losing a match of Tetra Master to Keahi. 

"Kid, you're cleaning me out of all my best cards!" Zidane lamented, handing over what seemed to be one of many that he had lost. 

"I can give them back if you'd like..." Keahi hesitated putting them into his deck. 

"No way!" Zidane shook his head. "You won those fair and square." Amarant shut the door behind him, announcing his presence. "There you are. Any longer and your kid was going to take me to the cleaners!" Zidane looked at his slightly smaller deck before storing it away.

"Where's your mother?" Amarant directed at Keahi.

"Grocery shopping."

"Alright, look after things for a bit, we'll be back." Keahi gave a thumbs up and Amarant gestured to the door with his neck, Zidane donning his cloak in response. They both left the house behind and walked down the streets of the district. 

"That kid has talent, you oughta let him participate in the tournaments in Treno when he's a bit older."

"I'll think about it." 

"Right, guess we'll get to business. Sorry It took awhile for me to get here. It was Dagger's birthday celebration and we had our hands full with something else too."

"I completely forgot about that."

" _I sent you tickets!_ " Zidane pretend to sound hurt. 

"Yeah, well, we had our hands full too."

"I figured as much. I was planning on dropping by soon to discuss something with you anyways, so let's get to it. You first, you look exhausted!" 

Amarant saw the obvious bags under Zidane's eyes but stopped himself for retorting. "We found a kid from that group you're after."

" _ **WHAT!?**_ " Zidane said louder than expected, a few people looking over. He cleared his throat and kept walking. "Where are they!?"

"At the house. We weren't sure what to do with her so we've been trying to keep her alive until you got here, but she seems dead set on withering away."

"Meaning?"

"Won't eat, won't sleep, won't talk, the first being the strangest as we found her rooting through our trash before I caught her. Lani and I have done our best to heal her up, but the idea of getting a doctor involved in her state might result in her lashing out and trying to freeze them like she did me."

"Freeze?"

"She tried to cast magic at me. I have a feeling it's why the group picked her up in the first place."

"You're positive she's from Pelops."

"She has the sign behind her left ear. Cinna showed me what it looked like awhile back."

Zidane did a 180° turn. "Back to the house, this takes priority!"cThey were back soon with Keahi giving them a 'that was fast' look, still sorting out his Tetra deck. "Alright, where's she at?"

"Upstairs in the far room." Amarant pointed to the stairs. Zidane slowly crept up the stairs, padding softly, hoping to make his presence unknown. He peeked around the corner into the room to see the girl very aware of him, glaring and curled up in her ball state. 

"Ho boy..." Zidane said under his breath. He sat crossed-legged in the door frame and tried to get a response from her. "Hey, it's OK kid. No one's gonna hurt you here." Nothing, just a continual glare. "You got a name?" Zidane tried for a little while longer to converse with her, but soon gave up before returning downstairs.

"Well?" Amarant asked. 

"I think I have a general idea to what her situation is, though I can't say for sure."

"And that is?"

Zidane took a seat the the dining table with them before continuing. "I think it's one of two things. The first being is that she was dumped by the group as they seem to do it now and then, however, you said she can use magic? How nimble is she?"

"Quite. She was hopping fences and knew to bite my hand to get away."

"Alright, then it seems unlikely that they dumped her, which means it's probably the other one. The sign is behind her ear, right? How visible is it to say, an average person walking by?"

"Not even. Her hair hides the majority of it. I only saw it thanks to a gust of wind."

"Does she have any other wounds on her? Like, anything that could have been done with a weapon?"

"Lani said there was nothing out of the ordinary, just regular cuts and bruises."

Zidane nodded. "Well then, I think she's an escapee. Meaning that if they find her again, her life is going to become a living hell."

"What does that mean!?" Keahi looked at Zidane concerned.

Zidane looked to Keahi, reminding himself that there was a twelve year old amongst them. 

"Uh, this might be little too much for you to hear, kiddo."

"No, keep talking. It's better he know anyways. We're all involved now."

"...It means that if they happen to find her again and take her back, they'll take drastic measures to make sure she doesn't try it again. Tucker tried escaping once and his punishment was for them carve the Pelops symbol into his hand so deeply that it became unusable. I can't imagine her's being any kinder." 

"Disgusting." Amarant fumed.

"Yeah, you probably get why i'm trying to hunt them down now. This isn't your average thief group."

"Obviously."

They sat in thought before Keahi piped up. "So, how do we get her to eat? She hasn't tried anything we put out for her."

"I could be wrong, but," Zidane paused to think. "I think that she believes she's been captured again. From what i've been told, Pelops is nomadic and that they have very specific rituals for their members. Mainly that the kids were blindfolded all the time and only had them removed when they were put on jobs or eating. If i'm right, she's probably _really_ confused and scared right now."

"So, if we showed her that we're not a part of Pelops, she'd eat?" Keahi asked. 

"There's no way to know for sure, but in theory it sounds about right." Zidane shrugged. 

"How in the hell are we going to do that?" Amarant rubbed his eyes tiredly. "She glares daggers at us from afar and curls herself up in a ball if you get near."

"She glares at you?" Keahi looked at his father, puzzled. Amarant returned it. 

"She doesn't to you?"

"No." Keahi looked over to the stairs sadly. "She just stares at me with sad eyes every time i've brought her food. She still won't let me get near her though."

"I guess that makes sense." Zidane replied. "She's probably used to being manhandled by adults, but not kids. I'm guessing she thinks you've been captured too."

"Damn it," Amarant hissed. "How long has this group of scumbags been operating?"

At least since the Battle of Lindblum. We were all too busy tracking down Kuja and then getting back to our normal lives that we didn't notice them. Trust me, it ticks me off too, why do you think i'm get them under control!?"

"Um..." Keahi spoke up before Amarant had a chance to reply. "I have an idea."

"Idea for what, kiddo?" Zidane let his rage cool.

"To show her we're not part of Pelops." He looked at Amarant. "Is it OK if I try?"

"Tell us what you're going to do first."

******

She had briefly drifted off to sleep, fully expecting her vision to be obstructed by the time she opened her eyes again. A soft padding up the stairs jolted her awake, proving her thoughts wrong. The boy she felt a small comradery with entered into the doorframe and sat down. He was holding a small pile of papers and he gave her a small wave which she returned with a cautious look. He shuffled through the papers and then held one up to her. The sight of it made her sweat. He was holding up a drawing of the symbol she so feared. She hid her head as sobs wanted to escape her. The sound of paper ripping caught her attention and she looked back at the boy who was ripping the paper to shreds. Their eyes met again and he formed an 'X' over his chest with his arms. This intrigued her. He did it again, this time having her full attention and after doing it one last time, he held his hand out to her, and waited. She looked at him warily, slowly starting to relax her cautious stance.

"It's alright." He spoke low and calmly. The scattered pieces of paper were now showing the symbol, broken. Broken? Gone? It wasn't a threat anymore, was it? Was she, free? "It's alright." He repeated. 

This time it struck a chord with her. She wanted to grab his hand, take a chance at what she thought might be freedom. She started to stand, she wanted to reach him, but she fell to her knees, no strength to carry herself. She heard the boy's voice call out to her and the comfort of someone holding her soon followed. As her eyes tried to focus, she found herself looking up into a face laced with worry. Worry for her. A quick glance to the door showed two others peering in, also sporting worried faces. This was not the prison she had built up in her mind. The food wasn't poisoned, the door was always open, these people weren't trying to hurt her. Exhaustion and hunger caught up with her as she weeped into the boy's shirt. He carefully picked her up and she gave him no resistance. 

*****

Lani almost dropped the groceries when she saw the girl sitting at the table next to Keahi. She was nibbling on a pear, eyes downcast, but no longer shaking in fear. 

"What did you do!?" She gasped. 

"Keahi did an excellent job of coaxing her out!" Zidane grinned at Keahi who was turning rosy. 

"Good job!" She beamed.

" _Please stop._ " He embarrassingly hissed. 

"Lani, could you make the kid some food? Zidane and I need to walk and talk and I don't trust Keahi to slice bread." Amarant stated bluntly. 

"I'm on it!" She passed them setting her groceries on the counter while the two of them left the house again.

"Alright, that's sorted. Thanks for that."

"Keahi did most of the work! I'm just glad everything worked out for now."

"Yeah, we'll keep an eye on her and keep you posted."

"Good, now, I need to talk to you about something kinda, uh, difficult?"

"Alright?" Amarant raised his brow. 

"You've no doubt heard what went down in Alexandria a little while ago."

"Who hasn't at this point?"

"Right, well, my page, Tucker, risked his life to save Steiner's kid, Rose. He ending up falling back into the blaze before I could get to them, and when he came to, his memory was completely blank."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and though not many knew about this, I was planning on eventually adopting Tucker into the royal family once I felt the time was right, and well, I did it right then and there when he woke up. As far as he knows right now, he's always been the prince of Alexandria."

Amarant stopped walking. "Zidane, what the hell. What if his memories come back?"

"And what if they don't? Fratley's never did! Besides, he may have forgotten the few months he had with us as himself, but he also forgot all about what he went through as a member of Pelops. It might actually be better this way." 

"Or worse. You're making his entire life a lie. Are you really prepared for that burden?"

"I don't know," Zidane answered. "But I want to do what I can to make him happy. So does Dagger. Word is already spreading about his adoption and everyone in Alexandria is being pretty decent about it, so that's step one."

"And i'm supposed to fit in here somewhere? Why are you even telling me all this?"

"I'm telling you this because I need your help, or rather, Keahi's. Doctor Tot thinks that having Tucker socialize with kids around his age will help him recover. Speech patterns, memory retention, etcetera. The only one in the castle who fits the bill is Rose, and she's gone into full loyal knight mode. I feel he needs a friend right now, not a knight. He's spending most of his time right now with Dr. Tot as they try to get back the small bit of education he lost."

"And what's Keahi going to do? How's he going to relate to someone who has nothing?"

"I don't know? Teach him how to play Tetra Master? That'd probably be a pretty good idea, actually! I have no idea what kids their age even do! I was too busy getting my ass beat by Baku back then!" Zidane threw up his hands. 

"As if I'd know either." Amarant retorted. 

"Regardless," Zidane sat himself into a bench nearby. "You understand what i'm asking, right?"

Amarant let out a small sigh before sitting down next to him. "Did you ask Freya?"

"Asked her at the celebration. Faye is busy with white magic lessons and Ferrington is currently 'grounded for life', so they're out for now."

"And what about Nini?"

"I can't pry him away from Eiko and she's the one doing Faye's said magic lessons."

"You really are out of options."

"Well, I really don't want to drag random kids off the street I can't trust."

Amarant leaned back into bench and looked at the dimming sky. "...What did you have in mind?"

"Once a week. We'd pick him up in the morning and have him back by dinner. School's out here in a few weeks so it'd be ideal." Zidane outlined. Amarant mulled it over before replying.

"...I'll talk to him about it and get back to you."

"Thank you, I appreciate it." They remained silent for a bit as the streetlamps began to flicker on. "About the girl," Zidane started. "Do you need any funds? It's an extra mouth to feed until we can figure out what to do with her."

"I don't want your damn money. I'll throw it back in your face if you try to force it on me like Eiko."

Zidane laughed. "She's so meddlesome! What, does she spy on you?" Amarant gave Zidane a look that had him in stitches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just thought i'd take this moment to explain how i'm using Dr. Tot. From the game, he seems to only be an intellectual, researching and tutoring, but I figure that he never stopped studying whatever he pleased throughout the years this fic takes place in. I don't think it'd be too out of the ordinary for him to broaden his fields to medicine, especially if he wanted to further support the royal family. Everyone trusts him and he's ready to serve when needed.


	17. Pieces

Freya knocked on door of her son's room.

"Ferrington? I think it's time we have a chat about your situation."

He sat on his bed facing the window, watching the fading rain. "What's there to talk about? You don't want me becoming a Dragon Knight and I want to. We're just going to be at each other's throats again."

Freya sat on the opposite side of his bed, glancing at his stature, unable to make out his expression save a blurry reflection from the window. "It's not that i'm against your desire to become a Dragon Knight, Ferrington, but rather how you're approaching it. Your father and I are aware of your natural talents, but you cannot become strong on talent alone. It doesn't matter how many Zaghnols you fell, without meaning, your strength will never manifest properly."

"And having me stay in my room forever will help?"

"I grounded you to reflect on your actions. Lying to us, bullying your sister, and worst of all; skipping out on your education to put yourself in harm's way. I was shocked when I finally got the full story."

"As you've made clear already. I'm stuck in here, aren't I? Except going to and from school, I spend my free time counting raindrops. Barrels of fun."

"Then what have you learned?"

Ferrington tried his best not the sound like a textbook example as he answered. "That lying is wrong, I should treat Faye better, and that I shouldn't skip school to wander off alone to Pinnacle Rocks trying to kill monsters."

"And are you going to do any of it again after I unground you?" Freya felt a smile rise on her lips as Ferrington's tail perked up.

"You're... Going to unground me?"

"As long as you promise to behave and take your future training seriously."

"Wait, future training? I'm allowed to keep training!?"

"Yes, as I hardly see it fair for Faye to be able to pursue her passion in White Magic and not let you do the same with knight training, however-"

"There it is..." Ferrington grumbled.

" **However** , you will have to use your break from school to catch up on what you've missed. Your father and I were planning starting your official training around the time you came home with blood on your shirt. So you must make up your lost time and earn our trust back with it. Do you think you can manage it?"

"Yes!" Ferrington turned around sharply. "This is what I've wanted from the beginning!" 

"It's just too bad you weren't more patient!" Freya pushed a strand of hair from his face. "You would have saved us all a load of grief."

Ferrington felt a twinge of guilt. "...I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven." Freya kissed his forehead. "Now come downstairs can help me get dinner ready. Your father will be back with your sister soon." 

******

"Oh my gosh, she's so cute!" Eiko practically squealed. "This is what Amarant was all worried about?" She pointed at the girl who was nervously clinging to Keahi, hiding behind his back. 

"I shouldn't have let you walk me home." Keahi grumbled. "I knew you were up to something." 

"Unless you want some Black Magic in your face, I suggest you backup a bit, Eiko. She's barely comfortable around me and Red and having someone new just show out of the blue is probably scaring her." Lani warned. Keahi pat the girl's head reassuringly, trying to calm her.

"She seems to _loooove_ Keahi though! And if she can use Black Magic then she might eventually get along with Nini too! This is so exciting!" Eiko pulled her flute from her belt. 

"Don't summon an Eidolon in my house!" Lani growled. 

" _Relax,_ i'm just gonna play a song for her. I used to do it for the kids at the village all the time!" She began playing and the girl's attention was drawn to the sound. She watched Eiko intently until the song ended. Proud of her ability to draw the girl away from her hiding place, Eiko smiled triumphantly at Lani. She held out her flute for the girl to examine and she gingerly took it, moving it around, trying to figure out how it worked. "So, what's her name?" Eiko watched her intently.

"As far as we know, she doesn't have one. She doesn't talk."

"Then you should give her one!"

Lani looked a bit uncomfortable before answering. "I don't think that's a good idea. We're just taking care of her until Zidane figures out what to do with her. It's probably best we don't get too attached." 

"Hmmm," Eiko looked over at her, still confused by the flute. "Why don't you guys adopt her?"

"H-huh!?" Keahi sputtered.

"Eiko, we can't just up and adopt her. She might have family and I can't see Red being keen on the idea."

"And if she doesn't? What's Zidane gonna do with her? He's already got his hands full with Tucker."

"...There's also the fact that we think she's on the run from that thief group. It puts us in danger if it's true."

Eiko raised her eyebrows at Lani. "So? Did you lose your ability to fight along with your axe? I more than anybody know that you know how to defend yourself, not to mention you're married to Amarant Coral. I really don't think you two have much to worry about."

"The one i'm worried about it Keahi! The group targets kids to kidnap and use!"

"Keahi isn't what they're looking for." Amarant joined the conversation, shutting the door behind him as he entered. "They want young kids who have nothing and are easy to manipulate."

"So he clearly doesn't apply." Eiko reached for her flute back and the girl gave it willingly. She gave the girl a friendly smile before turning to the door, Amarant's disdain clearly written on his face. 

"Anyways, i've said my piece. Regardless if you're keeping her or not, she should at least have a name. It's gonna get tiring after awhile just referring to her as 'the girl' or 'the kid'." Eiko opened the door and turned back to them before leaving. "Just don't let her end up alone."

******

Tucker found himself roaming the castle aimlessly again. His lesson with Dr. Tot was over for the day, Rose was training, and his parents were busy with whatever business a king and a queen had to deal with. Or so he thought. A soft song arose on the air, filling the castle walls. Tucker had heard it many times before, often as he woke in the morning, but before he had a chance to search, he would be pulled away to whatever demanded him. He followed the voice all the way up the West Tower and entered into the scene of his mother singing, a few doves in attendance to her concert. His presence scared them off and Dagger turned her head to the intruder with a smile on her lips. Her eyes showed her surprise once she realized it wasn't who she was expecting.

"Tucker! Did you come up here all by yourself? You must be exhausted!" 

"I'm fine... I'm sorry."

"Whatever for?" Dagger extended her hand out to him and Tucker took it. 

"I scared the doves away." 

Dagger giggled and loving stroked Tucker's hair. She quickly found out that this was calming to him in the few moments they had since the accident. "You're my prefered audience anyways. Would you like an encore?" Tucker nodded and Dagger began her song again. The doves soon returned, Tucker surprised at how close they landed near them. As the song continued, Tucker started to feel his eyelids get heavy. Dagger noticed this and pulled him close to her, continuing to stroke his head. The sound of the doves departing once again shot Tucker awake. 

"Whoops." Zidane's voice followed along with another giggle from Dagger.

"It's OK," Tucker gave his father a small smile. "I scared them away too."

"Like father like son, eh?" Zidane joined them. "I was actually looking for you, kiddo, but I got a little distracted." He winked at Dagger. 

"Oh... Did I do something wrong?"

"Nope!" Zidane beamed. "I've been told that you're doing super well lately! You're surprising Dr. Tot with your progress!"Tucker tried to hide a blush from the unexpected praise. "I was looking for you because I wanted to let you know that you'll be having a weekly visitor soon! An old companion of your mother and I have a son named Keahi around your age. The two of you never met before and we think it'd be good for you to have a friend. You've been looking a little lonely lately."

"...I'm sorry."

"Woah, hey, why the apology?"

Tucker cast his eyes down to his still broken arm. "I'm making you worry again."

"Tucker." Dagger cupped his face and lifted it. "It's a parent's job to worry about their child, it means that we love you. So please, don't apologize."

"You just focus on getting better and making some friends! No need to worry about us worrying~" Zidane ruffled Tucker's hair.

"I'll try..."

"We know you will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another ATE like chapter. There may be more in the future as they may be needed.


	18. Cards

"I'm home, sorry i'm so late." An exhausted Lani tried not to stumble through the front door.

"The store is that busy, huh?" Amarant stopped what he working on and moved to greet her. 

"Yeah, I completely forgot about the Festival of the Hunt coming up! Lots of people coming in for new gear. We stayed open a few extra hours for the steady crowd."

"Geez, I thought we had a shortage of monsters, what's got everyone so gung-ho?"

"There's a rumor going around that they've imported some monsters for this year's hunt. Not sure how true it is but it's great for business!" 

"I'm sure Eiko will tell me if it's true. Sit down at the table, i'll get your dinner."

"Thanks, Red." Lani stole a quick kiss from him before heading to her seat. "Are the kids already in bed? It's still early." 

"You have Keahi to thank for that."

"Oh joy, what happened?"

"He got into a fight at school, came home with some bruises and a bloody nose."

Lani groaned, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "I take it you've already talked to him."

"I was pretty upset, but the kid was even moreso. I wasn't even able to get a word in before she burst into tears seeing Keahi."

"What? Really?" 

"Yeah, completely inconsolable. She might not be able to talk, but she has a voice. Anyways, Keahi got himself cleaned up and did his best to show her that he was fine, but the damage was done."

"She probably thought he was hurt because of her, poor thing has gotten really attached to him."

"You're not wrong." Amarant placed Lani's plate in front of her. "After Keahi finally got her to calm down, he told me that one of the neighbour kids saw us finding her and asked Keahi if the reason he 'smelled' was because of the 'trash' we picked up."

Lani felt her eye twitch with mild anger. "...Don't punish him too harshly. I'd find it hard to not punch that kid myself after hearing that."

"He decided to go to bed without dinner and I left it at that. The mother of the kid came over and apologized too so, whatever."

"I think that's probably the first time he's ever made anyone cry. He probably feels horrible about it and I doubt he'll raise his fists towards someone again without thinking."

"Probably. I'll be sure to touch on it the next training session. It'll have to wait until the next time we both have a day off, because I was thinking of taking the kid along so she's not left alone, but I can't see her taking our sparring any less than attacking each other." Amarant figured. Lani started into her food, mulling over the situation.

"...Holly." She said after finishing a bite.

"What?"

"We should call her Holly. Eiko's right, it's getting tiring. She fell in a holly bush, right? It's a cute name." 

"...You've been thinking about this all day, haven't you?"

Lani coughed into her glass at the comment. "N-no, I just think she should have a name."

"You're getting attached."

"And you're not!?" Lani shot back. "Every time I see her look outside anxiously it makes my blood boil. If I could, i'd hunt down the bastards myself and make them pay for hurting her!"

Amarant let the silence between them dwell awhile before he replied. "...I was actually thinking of doing just that."

Lani almost choked. "What!?"

"It's nothing immediate, but when Cinna and the others regroup back here, i'm thinking of joining them. I can take paid leave for awhile so you don't have to worry about anything."

"Red..." Lani's eyes watered. "You know i'd worry regardless. It's not that I can't handle taking care of both of them by myself, but you really haven't been doing much combat-wise in awhile."

"Yeesh, it's not like i've forgotten. Besides, training Keahi has brought me back into it a bit."

"He's going to be upset that you're just stopping his training, after all that grief."

"Don't worry about me." A voice came from the stairway. Keahi was making his way down. 

"And how long have you been listening?" Lani tried to make her tired face look cross.

"Since 'we should call her Holly'. The sunset was in my eyes and I woke up to you talking."

"Understandable, it is still pretty early. You're free to join the conversation." Lani gestured to his seat at the table. Keahi took his seat and did his best to ignore his mother's food, his stomach quietly growling. 

"How is she?" Amarant asked.

"'Holly' is asleep." Keahi answered with a smirk. "And before you ask, yes, I am alright with putting our training on hold so you can go after Pelops. It won't be forever and i'm sure mom can teach me a bit too."

"Er, well, I _can_." Lani wavered. "But your father's battle style is more technique and speed based, while mine was more brute force mixed with magic. I can give you pointers, but I don't think it'd meld well with what's already been taught."

"There's nothing wrong with being well rounded." Keahi shrugged. Amarant stared at his son who had originally pushed for fighting lessons to spend time with him, but now his focus was different. The look in his eyes told that there was more to fight for now than quality time with his father. 

"You're sure you're alright with this?" Amarant asked Keahi, wondering if his hunch was right. 

"Dad," Keahi took a breath before continuing. "If there's more kids like Holly out there, it's way more important that you fight for them rather than train me. I'm fine, and Holly will be too. We can train later after Pelops is taken down."

Amarant felt pride well up inside of him. If his son's decision was made, then so was his. "Alright, i'll worry about Pelops, and you worry about taking care of your mother-" Amarant paused. "-And your sister until I return." 

"Red...!" Lani gasped "Are you sure!?"

Amarant got up and grabbed a piece of paper from the counter before sitting back down. He slid it to Lani. "I saw Eiko toss this into our mailbox this afternoon, not so subtly. Seems she's pulling strings behind our backs again."

Lani looked it over to find it was an adoption certificate that was already signed, approved, and filled out, minus the names. There was a small note attached in Eiko's handwriting that declared she had not only looked everywhere for a missing child report for Holly and found none, but that she'd be more than willing to take her as a sister if they refused. Lani at first felt anger for her nosiness, but gave into laugher instead. She managed to stop herself and looked over at Keahi.

"Well, we've been presented with a choice. Either you get a little sister, or we get another Eiko in the future. Which do you prefer?"

" **The former** " Keahi answered so quickly and resolute that Amarant had to bite back a laugh of his own. 

Lani started laughing again, asking Amarant to get her a quill between giggles. She filled out the blanks on the certificate and then held it up to Amarant and Keahi.

"It's official then, we're a family of four!"

******

Keahi exited off the airship ferry and walked through the gates to Alexandria. He tried to remember the last time he was here with his mother for something as he strained his eyes to look at the distant castle. 

"I guess I just walk to the castle...?" He mumbled to himself. 

An imposing, armored knight began to approach him and Keahi did his best not to show his nervousness. "You must be Keahi Coral. I am Adelbert Steiner, Commander of the Knights of Pluto. King Zidane has sent me to escort you to the castle. We've yet to properly meet." Steiner extended his hand to Keahi and he felt himself relax a little. 

"Oh, i've read about you." Keahi took his hand and shook it, hoping his body wasn't trembling as much as he thought it was. Though he had met most of the protagonists of Memoria, Steiner was somehow more grand than what he was expecting. 

"I do hope the writings gave a good impression." Steiner smiled at Keahi's attempt to hide his nervousness. Steiner released his grip and began walking in the direction of the castle. "Come along, I have much to explain before you meet with the prince." Steiner began telling Keahi of the steeple incident and how it resulted in Tucker both losing his status as a page and gaining royalty. His memory was gone and as the King was planning on adopting him, it was decreed that he was the new prince of Alexandria. Keahi was asked not mention the event or anything pertaining to Tucker's past, and to just treat him as normally as possible. "Do you have any questions?" Steiner boarded the gondola after Keahi and stepped up to the oar. 

"Is it alright if we play Tetra Master? I don't know if Prince Tucker has a deck, but I bought some packs for him."

"I believe that would be fine, though i'm unsure if he is aware of how to play."

"I can teach him! It's really easy to pick up."

"Very well, it sounds like a good start anyhow. Is there anything else?"

"Oh, um," Keahi dug through bag and took out an envelope. "This is for the King from my Dad. Could you please make sure that he gets it?" 

"Sending it directly instead of the moogles this time?" Steiner took the envelope from him.

"He prefers to not have to interact with Eiko more than he already does, and I was on my way here so I don't mind playing messenger." 

"I see he still maintains his disdain for the Regent's daughter." 

"Well he doesn't _hate_ her or anything, she's just really nosy. Though we have her nosiness to thank for some things." Keahi shrugged. 

"Such as?" Steiner began to row the gondola. 

Keahi smiled in reply. "I'm not allowed to talk about it yet, but i'm sure you'll find out soon."

Steiner found the secrecy odd, but decided to not push it any further. There was a little bit of small chat between them until the gondola was docked and they were on their way again. Keahi noticed some of the guards staring as they walked on and tried to hide his embarrassment. Whenever he ventured into Lindblum castle, no one paid him any mind, but here he felt like all eyes were on him. He kept a steady pace behind Steiner and relief spread through him as they stopped at what he assumed was the door to the Prince's room. As Steiner knocked and announced his presence, relief was replaced with fear as Keahi tried his best to come up with a proper introduction.

"Come in." Was heard muffled through the door and Steiner entered first, followed by a hesitant Keahi. Steiner saluted and Keahi wondered if he was supposed to do the same. 

"Prince Tucker, Keahi Coral has arrived."

Tucker moved his gaze up from a book to the door. Keahi's fear melted away as he saw a boy with his left arm splinted and other bandages covering various spots on his face and free arm. "Hello." Tucker slightly bowed his head. 

"Uh, hi..." Keahi waved. 

"I will leave you two to get acquainted. Lunch will be served at 12 hundred hours. Have a good day, Prince."

"Thank you, Steiner." Tucker acknowledged and Steiner left the two of them. They both stared at one another awkwardly until Keahi tried to break the silence. 

"So, uh, what're you reading?"

"Memoria."

"Oh, i've read that too! What part are you at?"

"The Evil Forest."

"Still at the beginning then?"

"I'm not a very fast reader." 

"O-oh, uh-"

"I was trying to read up on your father... Because I was curious..."

"You can just ask me anything you want to know. I could also read to you if you'd like."

Tucker closed the book and placed it on the windowsill next to him. 

"I'd prefer to read it on my own, thank you for your offer though." 

Keahi's eyes met Tucker's dull ones, not a spark remained in them and he started to wonder if he spent most of his time in this room. "That's fair. I'm not sure what you really do for fun around here, but is there anything you want me to do, Prince Tucker?" 

"...Could you just call me Tucker?"

"Sure, what else?"

"I really don't know. Is there anything you want to do?"

Keahi dug through his bag and pulled out the packs of Tetra cards. "Do you know how to play Tetra Master, Tucker?"

"No, I don't, is it fun?"

"Well, I think so, and so does your dad, he plays it and even won a tournament in the past!" 

Keahi saw Tucker's eyes light up for a moment. "...Really?"

"Yeah! He actually played a few matches with me a little while back. Would you like me to teach you?"

Tucker's interest was caught, Keahi had gotten through. "Yes!"

"Good, because these are for you." Keahi placed the packs in Tucker's hands and then dug out his own deck. "You're going to need them."

******

"Enter!" Zidane called out to the knock on the door. Steiner entered into Zidane and Dagger's chambers, saluting before proceeding. There were piles of papers he had to avoid from the quick renovation of the spare room, turned office, and then back to bedroom for Tucker, resulting in the current state of the chamber. 

"Mind the mess, we're working on it." Dagger was busily sorting while Zidane was reading through a pile. Steiner waited for him to finish.

"It never ends, and you've brought me more i'm guessing?" Zidane finally looked up.

"Just a letter from Amarant. Keahi brought it with him today."

"That's probably important." Zidane took it from Steiner and ripped it open. "Thanks for delivering it." 

"Has everything gone alright so far?" Dagger asked.

"I believe so. The boy is pleasant to talk to and the Prince seemed comfortable enough when they were introduced."

"Oh good! I hope things go smoothly."

"Keahi's a good kid, i'm sure they'll get along." Zidane said before starting to read Amarant's letter.

"I shall take my leave now." Steiner turned back towards the door

"Just a moment, Steiner." Dagger stopped him. "We're planning on taking Tucker to Black Mage Village tomorrow. Won't you come along?"

Steiner thought back to try and remember the last time he had visited the remote village. If Tucker was accompanying the royal couple then his duties would be cut in half for the day. A quick memory of Vivi's grave flooded into his mind and he nodded at the Queen.

"Yes, I would like to accompany you. It has been a long time since I visited Master Vivi."

"You should bring Rose along as well. I think she could use the time away from her training." Dagger added.

"If I can manage to drag her away from said training! Her determination and progress are staggering. Beatrix and I have trouble getting her at least to rest for meals."

Zidane finished the letter and placed it in his lap, a look of disbelief followed as he leaned back into the couch. Steiner and Dagger noticed, both curious over his silence and expression. 

"Zidane, is everything alright?"

"Actually, yes, for once a letter is neither asking for my presence or informing me of a problem we have to deal with. I'm just a little shocked over that and what said letter actually contains." 

"And that is...?" Steiner asked. Zidane glanced down at the letter once more, just to make sure he didn't misread, before he answered.

"Amarant and Lani have adopted the little girl who ran away from Pelops. Part of the letter is just letting me know she's no longer a concern."

" _Really?_ " Dagger gaped.

"Really. They've decided to call her Holly. I'm betting Eiko had a hand in this somehow, as she usually does." 

"And what of the other part of the letter? What does it entail?" 

Zidane flipped to the second page of the letter and read it over again to make sure he hadn't misread it, again. "Amarant wants to join in on the hunt for Pelops once Marcus, Blank, and Cinna regroup."

"What's brought this on? He and Lani seemed happy enough to just live quietly. Didn't both of them quit fighting once Keahi was born?" Dagger grabbed the letter from Zidane and started to read it herself. 

"I think-" Zidane wrinkled his brow in thought. "I think he's angry."

"Angry? What makes you think that?"

"I just remembered something he told me when we were in Terra. Before I went to see Garland, I asked him if he had any family. He replied with not remembering any parents, but that his first memory was of someone he had to fight." Zidane crossed his arms, thinking back to their last conversation. "On top of that, once I gave him the full information on Pelops and Holly's situation, he was pretty steamed, though holding a lot of it back as Keahi was around." 

"...His anger is towards those who are causing pain similar to what he experienced, is what you're getting at." Steiner confirmed. 

"That's probably it. For all his standoffish ways, there's an equal amount of hard work and care. Lani doesn't adore him for nothing and Keahi is 'pleasant' to talk to as they're both working hard to raise him. And if Amarant wants to take in a kid and defend their future, then who am I to object?" Zidane grabbed a fresh piece of paper, printed out a quick message, and then folded it. "Please place this in an envelope and give it to Keahi at the end of the day." 

"Yes, sire." Steiner took it and then left the chambers. 

"...Will Lani be alright taking care of two children by herself?" Dagger worried and Zidane smiled in response. 

"Eiko will no doubt be keeping her company more as Amarant won't be around to scowl her away." 

Dagger giggled at the thought. "I suppose we can send them some financial aid as well if they need it."

"Amarant threatened to 'throw it back in my face' that last time I offered him gil, but if he's gonna be working for me, he's got no reason to refuse anymore."


	19. Numbers

Tucker had his body planted against the wall of the airship's deck, an empathetic Rose trying to coax him away from it. 

"Prince Tucker-"

"It's not going to fall, is it?"

"No, Prince Tucker."

"But Prima Vista fell-"

"Because it was attacked."

"Will we be attacked?"

" **No!** we live in a time of peace! You really must finish Memoria...!" Rose grumbled. The airship took a turn and Tucker slid off the wall into Rose's arms.

"How can you stay so still!?" Tucker puffed. 

"Because i'm used to this, you're not. Here-" She helped him sit on the floor. "You'll feel more grounded this way." 

"Sorry..."

"Don't apologize, you'll get used to it eventually." 

"I have to ride an airship again!?"

"Most certainly."

Zidane turned the corner and tried not to laugh at his son's face.m"What's wrong, Tucker? Are you alright?" He managed through stifled snorts. Tucker tried not to pout as Zidane sat down next to him. "We'll take a slower one next time." He ruffed Tucker's hair as Rose excused herself.

"Was I used to airships before?" Tucker asked. 

"I think so, but we really only ride them every so often. You'll get your footing eventually." Zidane reached into his pocket and pulled out his Tetra Master deck. "Now, I heard that Keahi taught you how to play Tetra Master yesterday! Want to battle your old man to pass the time?" Tucker forgot his panic and quickly fished out his deck. Zidane noticed a few familiar cards as they played, he assumed from matches Keahi let Tucker win. Soon enough the airship was landing and Tucker was exceedingly glad to be back on solid ground. The forest stretched before them brought his panic back, only for it to quell, feeling his mother's hand over his. 

"It's alright, Tucker. Your father and Steiner will protect you. Just stay close to me." 

"You're in good hands, Tucker! Your mother is probably stronger than I am!" Zidane called back from clearing a path. Dagger laughed at Tucker's wide-eyed expression and they both started after Zidane. 

"Rose, do not attempt to battle any monster here, they are far too advanced for you. Just stay close to the Queen." Steiner urged Rose forward as he took the rearguard. Rose nodded and took her place next to Tucker, though she still held a firm grip on her sword hilt. Not one monster approached the party and the were soon at the trick crossroads. Zidane easily remembered the way and was legitimately surprised that the illusion barrier was still intact. No one greeted them once they were through and the quiet of the village was a constant reminder of the sorrow they often buried. 

"Eiko said it was quiet, but geez, this is almost deafening." Zidane observed.

"You have not visited in quite some time." A lone Gnome child exited the weapon shop and acknowledged them.

"Yeah, it's been awhile. How are things here?" Zidane replied. 

"Uneventful, serene, perhaps 'boring' is the proper word." 

"If you're 'bored' I can move you elsewhere if you'd like."

"No." The Gnome child answered firmly. "Our friends are here. We'll not leave them." They walked away from their visitors towards the chocobo stable. Zidane crossed his arms and shook his head. 

"I don't know if I upset him or not."

"U-um..." Tucker was having a hard time hiding his confusion. "He looked like a minature you. Is he your brother?"

"Aha, not quite. Once you get around to finishing Memoria, you'll understand. For now, he's part of my race, we all kinda look alike. Does that make sense?"

"Kinda? You all have tails?"

"Yep!"

"And blonde hair?"

"Almost all of us." Zidane answered with a half smile. Tucker looked at his hair and then to where his lack-of-tail would be, causing Zidane to laugh. "Traits that skipped over you kiddo. Don't worry about it!" 

"Shall we move on?" Dagger moved towards the cemetery.

"You all go on ahead of me, I'm gonna find Mikoto." Zidane decided to follow after the Genome child first in his search once he split from the others. He found him taking care of Bobby Corwen, a small smile present as the chocobo gently nuzzled the boy's face. 

"Yes?" The boy answered Zidane's entry to the stable. 

"I wanted to know if you've seen Mikoto."

"...Mikoto has been absent from the village for a year now."

" **What!?** What do you mean absent!?"

"As in, she left and has not returned."

"And you're not worried!?"

"She is fine."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Mikoto maintains the illusion barrier in the Mage's absence. If something had happened to her, it would cease to be." 

"That doesn't mean she's fine!" 

"She will return in time, she always does." 

Zidane sighed, realizing this child wouldn't share his worries. "Well, Thanks for letting me know, uh-" Zidane looked over the Gnome child. "Did you ever decide on a name?"

The Gnome child turned his attention back to Bobby Corwen before answering. "...Mr. 555 is what my friends used to call me."

"I'll be sure to call you that too. Thanks for the info, Mr. 555, i'll talk to you later." Mr. 555 gave a nod as Zidane went to join everyone at the cemetery. He found Dagger explaining something to a slightly distressed Tucker with Steiner and Rose attending to Vivi's grave and all the identical yet smaller ones surrounding it. Zidane took his place among them and tried to put his fears aside for the time being. 

******

" _What_ is _**that**_." Keahi cringed at the brightly coloured envelope covered in ribbons and glitter sitting on the dining room table. He eyed it suspiciously as he placed his schoolbag down and approached it. 

"You-know-who delivered it during your lunch break today." Lani answered coming down the stairs, a sleepy Holly in her arms. 

"Ugh, i'm getting glitter all over my hands." Keahi grumbled as he flipped it open. He rolled his eyes after he finished reading it.

"What does it say?"

"'Keahi and Holly Coral are hereby invited to Eiko Carol Fabool's post Festival of the Hunt party. It will take place on the evening of the Festival. Don't be late!'" Keahi read in his best Eiko voice. 

"A party, huh? I don't know if you're ready for a party." Lani looked down into Holly's drowsy face. 

"Dad did say we needed to start socializing her soon and she's pretty comfortable around Eiko."

"I'm going to assume you're going then."

"I'd never hear the end of it from her if I didn't." 

"I'll have to ask Eiko who's attending before I let Holly go, but I doubt it'll be anyone outside her friend circle."

"Nini, me, Faye, Ferrington. I think that's everyone? She might invite Tucker along too? Eh, I'll ask her at school tomorrow." 

Lani placed Holly down and moved over to the kitchen. "Entertain her while I get dinner ready."

"Got it, i'll teach her Tetra Master!" 

Holly sat down at the table next to Keahi and watched him spread out the cards. Lani smiled at how intently she watched him and how passionate he was about his hobby. "If she starts saying card names before ours, i'm gonna be upset with you." 

"Pssh, I doubt that'll happen."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Biiiiig thank you to Shotgunnova over at GameFaqs for their FF9 script: https://www.gamefaqs.com/ps/197338-final-fantasy-ix/faqs/42207
> 
> I would have never found that Genome's 'name' without it!


	20. Festivities

The Festival of the Hunt arrived. Citizens of Lindblum and visitors alike all lined the spectator areas as the combatants started to file into air cabs. Ferrington lazily leaned on the observation balcony that was specifically made for the royal family.

"You can see the whole city here! Both mom and dad are participating, who will you cheer for?" Faye excitedly watched the monsters roam the streets. 

"Whoever I guess. Where's Eiko? It feels weird being up here with her gone."

"I'm right here~" They turned to her voice to see Keahi with her. "I had to go pick up these two." They saw Keahi giving a piggyback to someone bashfully hiding their face in his neck. 

"Who's that?" Ferrington pointed to Holly peeking for a moment, only to hide back seeing Ferrington's finger point at her. 

"My sister." Keahi knelt down to let her off, and Holly reluctantly let go. 

"You'd better be nice to her Ferrington! _So help me if you're not._ " Eiko glared at him. 

"Geez, i've barely even looked at her! I didn't even know you _had_ a sister!" 

"Lower your voice, Ferri, you're scaring her." Faye moved into Holly's sight while Ferrington gave up on protesting and turned back to the view. Faye waved at Holly and she replied by hiding behind Keahi. 

"Come on, you can't do that forever." Keahi gently pried her off and pushed her forward. She looked back at Keahi and Eiko nervously who gave her reassuring smiles. A sudden Cura spell sparkled around Holly and she followed it's path back to Faye, who waved again. "See, nothing to be afraid of. You're fine, Holly." Keahi pat her head and then joined Ferrington.

Holly hesitated, but Eiko took her hand and Faye her other, and she gave in. They walked her to the end of the balcony and she gave no protest. "Can you see?" Faye asked, Holly's height just above the railing

"She can't talk, Faye, and just lift her up, she's used to it." Keahi answered for her. 

"Snrrk, i'll trade you sisters." Ferrington joked. 

" _Hilarious_." Faye held her arms out to Holly and she replied, being brought up to everyone else's height. The sight of the city caught her attention as her fears disappeared. 

"Where's Nini?" Keahi asked.

"Oh, he's greeting the ship from Alexandria. I invited Tucker and Rose to the party as well." 

"The prince and his knight are finally gracing us with their presence?" Ferrington grunted. 

"I would punch you if Holly wasn't here. What's your deal today?" Keahi tried to hide is irritation.

"He's just upset that mom once again forbid him from entering the hunt. Did you really think she'd let you so close to getting ungrounded?"

"...Didn't think it'd hurt to ask." Ferrington mumbled. 

"Ferrington, Tucker and Rose almost died. The reason you haven't even met Tucker yet is because he's still recovering. It's only recently that they've started to bring him outside the palace. I just met him for the first time a few days ago, so drop the attitude." Eiko kept her voice low. 

"Alright, alright, I get it. Yeesh."

"I hope you do, because they're here." Keahi waved to an approaching Tucker.

******

"Well, this is certainly a surprise!" Freya greeted Amarant as she boarded the air cab. 

"Looks like we're both starting in the theatre district, just my luck."

"I thought you gave up fighting? I didn't expect to be sharing a battlefield with you again."

"We'll call it practice. I have some things to take care of starting tomorrow."

The sound of rushed footsteps interrupted them and a hooded figure jumped on the air cab just before it's door closed. "Don't start the party without me!" Zidane's voice came from the hood. 

"You've got be be kidding me, the hell are you doing, Zidane?" Amarant growled. 

"Showing off for my kid, isn't that what you two are doing? They're all watching~"

"Are you even an entrant?" Freya tried to hide her amusement of the situation. 

"You're looking at 'Hooded Z', I got Eiko to put me in last minute. Only her and Tucker know so, shhh!" 

"I shouldn't be surprised at this point." Amarant leaned onto the wall as the cab started moving "You always have been a damn fool." 

"Oooh, should I cash in my crown for a jester hat, tough guy?" 

"Alright you two, leave the bickering behind and focus on the task at hand."

"Freya's right, let's have a dignified competition like the adults we are. Let's say... Whoever kills the least amount of monsters buys a round of drinks at Bobo's later." 

The air cab docked and it's door slid open. "Deal." Amarant jumped out first with Zidane hot on his heels. 

"Oh for goodness sake!" Freya fumed as she followed. 

******

"Oh, there goes mom." Ferrington pointed to Freya hopping from a roof onto an unsuspecting monster. 

"Holly." Keahi tugged gently on her dress and then pointed to where Amarant was fighting a larger monster. Her face filled with shock, but Amarant felled it quickly and moved out of sight, making Holly gasp. She looked over to Keahi who gave her a thumbs up and she immediately went back to looking for Amarant in the streets. 

"Psst, he's over there." Eiko whispered to Tucker who was scanning the streets for his father. Tucker's eyes lit up as he saw the hooded Zidane easily take down a monster.

"Who's over where?" Rose leaned in.

"Uh, Sir Fratley! He's over there, right Faye?" Eiko winked to her friend and Faye desperately looked for her father. 

"Y-yeah! He just went behind that building! Darn, we just missed him!" She fibbed. 

"I can see you winking!"

Nini stood away from the crowded balcony, looking at a list of participants. The quickly scribbled in 'Hooded Z' made him giggle. "Are you not going to join the others, Nini?" Steiner approached the happy mage. 

"Nah, i'm fine here. It's the same every year, and it's already pretty crowded over there."

"I can let you sit on my shoulders Nini~!" Eiko yelled over to him.

"Ugh, no thank you! I'm too old for that!"

"But still not old enough to stop collecting oglops~" She teased back.

"At least I don't have to cuddle with _at least_ three moogles before I fall asleep!"

Ferrington laughed and then elbowed Eiko. "Nini wins!" He wheezed. Eiko stuck her tongue out at Nini and he giggled in reply. 

"Hah, you are all so close." Steiner found himself chuckling. "Perhaps Rose and Prince Tucker would benefit from visiting here more often."

"That sounds like a good idea." Dagger joined in. "I'm sure Tucker will be all for it once he recovers a bit more, though you may have a hard time convincing Rose. However, i'm sure she'll follow wherever he goes."

"Indeed, and speaking of someone who follows wherever you go, where is the King? Is he meeting with the Regent?"

"No, I assumed that he was with you."

"Hmmm, I wonder if the King's disappearance has anything to do with this _mysterious_ 'Hooded Z' at the end of the participant list." Nini said loud enough for Eiko to hear.

" ** _Nini_ , you snitch!** Get over here!" Eiko ran after the fleeing, laughing Nini out of sight down the hallway. 

"Unbelievable." Steiner picked up the list Nini had tossed away. "If he is found out it'll be a repeat to Eiko's shenanigans all those years ago."

"He's just showing off for Tucker, Steiner. Let him be." Dagger rolled her eyes. "He could've picked a less obvious nickname."

"Put me dooooooown!" Nini's voice echoed in the hallway as he and Eiko returned, Nini on her shoulders. 

"Never! You ratted out Zidane! Your punishment is to stay on the 'Shoulders of Shame!'" 

"Nooooo! Anything but that!" Nini pretended to act distressed. They joined the others and quit their jokes as every kid started cheering for whichever combatant they favoured.

******

"Tough luck on your father not winning like you wanted." Lani greeted her children, Holly again on Keahi's back. 

"Mom? I thought you weren't going to attend the feast at the palace."

"Well, I wasn't but I was worried about about Holly, so I came to check on you two. She seems fine though, so I guess I could've stayed put!"

"I think she's impressed, didn't take her eyes off Dad the entire time!" 

"Oho, i'll have to tell him! For now, you go to your party and i'll see you later. I can't just leave now that i've been seen by Eiko."

"See you!" Keahi readjusted Holly and began walking to where Eiko's party was being held on the observatory. He was glad that Holly was light enough as he trekked up the stairs. He arrived to find everyone else had gotten there before him. Rose was next to Tucker while he trying to chat with Eiko and the Crescent siblings seemed to be bickering about something while Nini watched, amused. 

"There you two are!" Eiko announced. "I was afraid you'd try to sneak off."

"Nope," Keahi placed Holly down. "Just saying hi to Mom." 

"Right then, we're all here so let's get started!" Eiko moved to the covered table in the middle of the area and pulled the sheet off of it, revealing a feast of their own. "I thought it'd be fun for us to have a little shindig of our own instead of just sitting by our parents and eating. I'd say dig in, buuuut-" Eiko went under the table and then reemerged with a large bottle. "We have to toast to the winner first! The _mysterious_ Hooded Z really surprised us all!" Nini tried to stifle his giggle and everyone else found themselves laughing at him and not the fact that Zidane's bamboozle had been found out.

"I do hope that's not alcoholic." Rose eyed the bottle as she grabbed a glass with everyone else. 

"Oh come on, i'm not going to get a bunch of kid's drunk, Rose. It's literaly just grape juice." Eiko popped the cork off and started pouring her a glass. She filled everyone's glass and then grabbed her own. "Alright! To Hooded Z! What a hunt!" 

"Just say it's Zidane!" Ferrington objected.

"Shhh! Ferrington!" Eiko winked before downing her glass. Everyone else laughed into their glasses, sipping, while Holly drank all of hers after seeing Eiko do so. "Time to dig in! Help yourself, there's plenty to go around." They all approached the table and Keahi led Holly over and took a plate. He started pointing at the various dishes, asking her what she wanted, only putting on her plate whatever made her look excited. "Such a good brother~" Eiko teased and he ignored her, passing the plate to Holly. The plate fell right through her hands and the sound of shattered glass followed. 

"Ah, geez, Holly, you made a mess-" Keahi knelt down to grab the shards but stopped when their eyes met. Something was wrong. "Holly? Holly, are you ok?" Her eyes glazed over, and then lazily shut. She collapsed and Keahi quickly caught her before she fell. " **Holly!?** " He shook her before a woozy feeling started to take him over as well. He glanced behind him to see Eiko had already hit the floor herself, the others starting to do the same.

"What... Is going..." Keahi fell to the ground and Holly from his grasp. All was silent save a few birds chirping. The sound of armored footsteps replaced the birds and three Lindblum guards walked up to the observatory. The leading one shed it's armor and a woman in noble looking clothes emerged. 

" **Finally** , I thought they'd never start eating their dumb feast." She smirked at the slumbering faces. "How much sleeping weed extract did you inject through that cork? They're down for the count!" 

"Uh, a lot? I just put the whole phial in." One of the 'guards' answered her. 

"Yeah, they're not waking up anytime soon. Let's grab the kid and scram." 

"Which one?" The other joked. "Are we taking them all, boss?" 

"Obviously not, just our little escapee. No one leaves without my blessing." She picked up Holly by her hair and spied the Pelops sign. 

"But hey, we got a familiar face over here!" One of them poked at Tucker with his foot.

"Don't be an idiot, you know he's a damn _prince_ now. We don't need the King of Alexandria breathing down our necks anymore than he already is." She slung Holly over her shoulder. "This one might be missed too, but oh well, she's powerful and worth the risk. Now come on, ditch the armor and let's go!" 

"Right, Boss!" they answered and quickly got rid of their disguises. The woman looked back at the sleeping children one last time before jumping off the observatory, her two goons following her lead. _'Now, what to do with you?'_ She smiled at Holly's dreaming face. _'You've been a bad girl.'_


	21. Fears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just thought i'd put a disclaimer here for this chapter. While i've done some things to portray Pelops as a pretty nasty group, it's time for it to be written in present tense instead of what's been experienced/shown. There will be violence against a child in this chapter. I try to keep the descriptions of the kids out of the story so readers can make up their own appearances for the characters. Besides things like their height, age, and occasional mention of hair colour, i've tried to stay true to this. 
> 
> For reference, Holly is around 12, but is very small for her age, just like Tucker. Malnutrition is known for stunting kid's growth and as both were pawns in a theif group that doesn't treat them kindly, you can understand that they probably aren't fed properly, just enough to be kept alive. 
> 
> With that all said, thank you for reading and I hope to see you at the end of this story!

Holly awoke out of her drowsy daze to what she had feared most. Her eyes; covered, her hands and feet; bound. She didn't know to feel betrayal or fear as she started to struggle against her bindings. 

"Looks like she's awake, boss. You want us to deal with her?"

"No, i'll take care of her. Clear out." Holly recognized the second voice, she struggled harder, only to be stopped by a sudden kick to her stomach. She gagged as her blindfold was ripped off. Hot, angry tears fell from her eyes as her fears were confirmed. She had been taken back. "Did you _really_ think i'd just let you go? **Huh!?** " Another kick, this time to her head. Holly felt no more fear towards this woman, only anger. Their eyes met and the woman erupted into laughter. "Well now, looks like your little vacation has given you an attitude problem! Now how should I go about dealing with that? If I kick you anymore you might break."

Holly started a spell on her fingers, hoping she wouldn't notice. "I don't think so." She held out her hand and a Silence spell surrounded Holly. "Did you forget who taught you those? You must think i'm some sort of idiot." She sat Holly up, not breaking eye contact. Holly maintained her glare as her mind raced. Was she the only one captured? Was everyone else ok? She refused to give into this woman again and become her pawn. "You know," The woman pulled a knife from her boot "I _really_ don't like the look in your eyes, girl. Let's _fix_ that."

******

Days continued to pass and Holly became numb to all the pain inflicted on her, save the continual pang of where her left eye used to be. No amount of whatever was dished out moved her. If she cried, it was for the people she missed, and the thought of them possibly going through the same treatment. It didn't take long for the boss to lose patience. 

"I go to all the trouble of finding you, discipling you, healing you up, and you _still_ won't budge. You know, when I picked you up, I knew you had potential, that's why I taught you magic. You could've been one of our best members, but you instead turned on your teacher. The one who found you wandering the plains, all by your lonesome. Some gratitude!" She sat down in front of Holly, who was ignoring her. "Guess this is partially my fault. I left you alone with that family for too long and you got attached. You grew a conscience, the one thing I don't need on my property. I was thinking of using you as an example for the rest of the troop, but eh, you don't talk so you probably wouldn't scream either. No sense in trying to scare them if you're not gonna react at all."

"Just kill her, boss! She's wasting space!" 

"Oi, thieves we are, murderers we ain't. I have _some_ principles. Though I am pretty pissed that this little brat turned out of be a colossal waste of time." She sighed and looked back at her goons. "How long until the operation?"

"Two more days until the Knight's mansion owner returns. We'll have to split after we finish up." 

"That's fine, have the two of you decided which one of you will be our 'diversion'?" The two goons look at each other nervously and the boss let out a laugh. "Spineless, the both of you! But lucky for you two, I happen to have perfect diversion material _right here._ " 

******

The slums of Treno were the same as ever. The pub bustling in the later hours of the eternal night, the market being overrun by homeless beggars, and the spats of drunken neighbors echoed off the paper thin walls. Nobody thought twice of three cloaked ne'er-do-wells emerging from the sewers and following the shadows into the noble's territory. In fact, they probably wished them luck in whatever mischief they were about to bring upon their 'oppressors'. 

"How long ago did you drug the shopkeeper and lock the weapon shop doors?" The boss asked. 

"Less than an hour, everything should still be fine."

"For your sake, it had better be." They approached the Knight's mansion and found the front door not occupied by any squatters. One of the goons quickly unlocked the door and they filed in before they were seen. "Way too easy." The boss snorted and looked down into the cage housing a Behemoth. "Hurry up and get this gate open so we can ditch the girl."

"On it." The goon holding Holly placed her down in the middle of the grate and then moved behind the counter, the shopkeeper still fast asleep.

"This is the end of the line, sweetie." She cut Holly's bindings. "Make enough noise and someone will save you, just make sure to keep the monster busy. See you never!"

She jumped away from the gates as they opened, dropping Holly into the monster's den. She hit it's back and rolled off of it onto the floor, causing a low growl to start vibrating from the Behemoth's chest. She quickly scrambled to her feet as it took a swipe at her. She narrowly avoided it only to be backed into the corner of the cage. Was there no way out? She looked around desperately and saw that the gate had remained open. Was it low enough for her to be able to jump up to it? And even if she was able to, who was to say the monster wouldn't kill her while she tried to climb. 

Freedom and death were both so close that she could feel both doom and excitement course through her. Freedom. She had been abandoned, they wouldn't come back for her. This was her chance to toss her worries away and rejoin those she was taken from! Death. This beast was more than she could fight. She knew this, but a part of her wanted to try. Could she at least try avoid it, irritate it, make it roar for any around to hear? Tossing a few spells was suicide, but she was nimble, enough so to start her plan. The Behemoth started its attack while she quickly dodged. She hardly had time to rest as it's anger was rising, not particularly fond of playing with it's prey. The limp gates clattered with every step the beast made. The shopkeeper started to rouse from her slumber, a distinct roar shook her workspace and she shot awake. 

"What the-" She stood herself up. "Why's the gate open!?" She quickly ran over to the cage to see Holly's struggle. " **Hey!** " Holly's attention went to the voice. "What do you think you're-!?" A direct hit. Holly was sent flying into the wall. "Oh gods, hold on!" The shopkeeper called out to her as she crumpled to the ground. 

Freedom? Was there ever really such a thing in this situation? Death was to be expected. Her sight blurred as the Behemoth took a step towards her. Her expectations were coming true instead of her desires. She was angry. She had done nothing wrong. She had never asked to be taken. She had just started living her life, just to be taken again. Enough was enough, she let her rage take over. Freedom or death? A strange light flowed about her and her strength returned in levels she had never felt before. All she cared about now was bringing death to the beast stepping over its corpse to her freedom. 

She could do it now. She didn't know how, but she knew as she lifted her arms flowing with otherworldly light at the Behemoth, and it froze over. She then moved her arms to the floor, finding a rock from the beast's frustrations, and tossed it as hard as her new found strength allowed her. The ice shattered and the Behemoth fell to the ground. She had won, she had won her freedom. Her whole body slackened as the light started to fade, her rage being replaced with hope. She heard the shopkeeper call out to her before she collapsed next to the Behemoth's corpse. 

******

"Do you morons have any idea what you're doing!?" A man spat at the Treno guards.

"Yes sir, we're currently investigating the break in."

" **Forget** about the **investigation!** We know who did it! The mark on that girl confirms it! Get her talking and get some guards out looking for the thieves!" 

"She's still unconscious-"

"I don't care! Throw some water on her! She killed my father's Behemoth that I had been carefully taking care of since his death! Do you have any idea how much that monster meant to me!?"

"Enough." A gruff voice called out and an older looking guard stepped up to the man. "Duke Zaldun, kindly lower your voice, you are disturbing the peace."

"Captain Noche, you finally decided show up! Such a shame you weren't doing so a few days earlier when my **mansion** was being **looted!** " 

"Duke Zaldun, I will say it again, lower your voice. We are doing everything in our power to find those responsible and assess the damage."

"You have one in your custody! Get someone to question her!"

"Through our investigation, it has been determined that she was left behind as a decoy. She is heavily wounded and even if she did kill the beast, what difference does it make? Is a monster's life worth more than hers?" 

The duke got right into the captain's face. "It seems you've forgotten who pays your salary, old man. You may have been a friend of my father's, but your friendship with this family ended with his death. Know your place and do as you're ordered. Wake that girl up, interrogate her, get that information, and then have her tried. I will not be made a fool of!"

Noche's face twitched with anger, but he hid all trace of it in his voice. "I'm afraid i'm going to have to refuse. Forcing her awake would only endanger her life further, thus you getting no information at all. Also, she is clearly underage, she cannot be tried for crimes, especially ones she did not commit. Unless you want to be a murderer and a lawbreaker, Duke Zaldun, you will stand down." 

The Duke shook with anger, but he relaxed, a devious smile crossing his face. He was going to get what he wanted, under his terms, no matter who became a stepping stone. "Very well then, since you're so attached to this little wench, then here's how we'll do things. We'll wait until she wakes up, get that information, and then she can start working in the guardhouse until she's old enough to face judgment. Of course, i'm a merciful man. If she by some miracle manages to come up with the money to pay for my dead pet **and** the items taken from my home, then I suppose I can let her go. That is, providing you can also find a fitting replacement for her. You'll need to find another member of Pelops to take her place until we find the perpetrators who specifically looted my house. It's only fair that way, justice must be served after all!" 

"You would condemn a child who's clearly the victim? Who was forced into the cage with your 'pet' and defended herself like anyone would?" Captain Noche stared at the duke in disbelief.

"Well, she won't be a child forever, and she still destroyed something that was my property!" The Duke smirked as he started to walk away. "I'll send you her bill once I've figured out what and how much was stolen. Enjoy your maid while you can, old man! Oh, and do keep quiet about this, we don't need the masses knowing, especially if you want to keep your pathetic paychecks."

Noche shook his head as soon as Zaldun was out of sight. "Your father spoiled you, he would never approve of this..." He muttered. 

"Captain, what should we do?" One of the guards asked.

"We will do as he asks, for now. Bide our time, protect the girl, and do not defy him. In the meantime, return to your investigation and report to me once you're done."

"Yes sir!" They saluted and went back into the Knight's mansion. Noche tried to ignore an incoming headache as he made his way back to the guard house. The guard keeping watch saluted him as he approached. 

"Captain Noche, sir! The girl woke up and a doctor was called!" 

"Very good, I will check on her now." He almost bumped into the doctor who was on his way out.

"Oh, sorry, captain. You weren't here so I was going to give the report to the guard."

"It matters not, I am here now. Is she alright?"

The doctor cocked his head in thought before answering. "Yes, and no. Her injuries are easily healed, but there is an issue i'm not entirely sure how to approach."

"What is it?"

"Her... Voice. For some reason she cannot speak, but her vocal cords are fine. I even heard her sobbing before I approached her cell. It could be anything from a physical to psychological issue, but I don't think she'll be very talkative. 

"That... Is going to be a problem."

"Because you have to interrogate her?"

"That is what Duke Zaldun wishes, he wants information out of her as soon as possible."

"I don't see that happening. She was unresponsive to all my questions, not even simple yes or no head motions. She may know something, but in her current state is unable to understand or convey anything."

"So, what should we do?"

The doctor wrinkled his brow before answering. "Start at square one. If she can't understand, then she needs to be educated back into what she lost. School is out now for break, so there should be plenty of tutors around looking for work. Shall I recommend you some?"

"Yes, please do. The sooner we get her talking, the less this whole situation will be troublesome for all of us." 

"I'll have a list sent to you by tomorrow. Good day, captain." The doctor left and Noche looked over to where Holly was being held; a private holding cell for their occasional troublemaker. Seeing it occupied by a small child instead of one of the local drunkards was enough to make his heart heavy. He had yet to get a proper look at her, slowly stepping towards the cell, Holly not even acknowledging his presence once he loomed over her. She wore a grim stare with the one eye she had left. 

"What has this life shown you, and what can you take from it?" Noche felt his heart start to break, quickly seeing his own daughter in Holly. "Please don't give up, child, we'll find you a path to freedom."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naming Facts: 'Zaldun' means Knight in Basque while 'Noche' means Night in Spanish. I think I was going for puns here as the duke is the noble over all the Knights (plus he resides in the Knight mansion) and the captain patrols the endless night of Treno.


	22. Paths

"This amount of gil is obscene!" Noche stared at the bill Zaldun had sent for Holly. "He truly is so petty to try and ruin someone's future just for his own benefit." Noche placed the bill down on his desk, slowly looking it over. He knew his old friend was probably turning in his grave as his son penned this. Not to mention the entire situation did nothing but complicate everything. Noche had his family to consider, he was no noble and his position here was the only thing keeping them from the streets. The girl's silence continued to endure which only caused more stress on him. But he refused to be played like this.

He heard the tutor patiently teaching Holly from her cell as mulled over the bill, his own idea springing to mind. He flipped it over and started doing some math, a satisfied smile rising once he finished the equation. "I suppose this is bit passive aggressive, but he said nothing of me not being allowed to pay her for her employment. He will get his damned money back, but only after it comes out of his own pocket first." He took the paper with him as he set out to the 'morning' meeting with the guards. They all lined up and saluted as he entered.

"A good day to all of you. No doubt you have all been made aware of our guest." He held up the bill to the guards. "Duke Zaldun has demanded of her a hefty sum for the stolen items from his mansion and the 'murder' of his pet monster. For those of us who were at the scene when she was found, it was obvious that she was planted in the cage against her will while the real thieves commenced their looting. Duke Zaldun cares not for this explanation and has bid us to keep her here as a maid of sorts until she is old enough to be tried. However, if she is able to procure the funds he demands and we can manage to find another member of the thief group, Pelops, to take her place, then she may go free back to her family, wherever they may be." 

"Has she not told us of where her family is? Maybe they can help with the bill!" One of the guards spoke.

"That would be ideal, wouldn't it? But as it has already been shown, the Duke is a cunning thing, and has forbid us to discuss this with anyone outside the guardhouse lest we lose our livelihoods. To add onto this, the girl has lost her voice. Even if she has a family, there is no way she could tell us presently." 

"What are we to do then, captain?" 

"Well, I may not be as cunning as Duke Zaldun, but I did have a small idea." He flipped the page over showing his math. "While she can't actually be employed here, I don't recall there being anything against giving an allowance to a child who's done a job well done. In small amounts and discreetly stored away, I believe she'll be able to 'earn' back her debt before she's old enough to face trial. As she is confined here until further notice, I see no other option besides hanging her out to dry. So, what say you men to our house guest? Once she learns, you'll be off of cleaning duties until she's free. Are there any objections?" Not one of them uttered a word, all sharing the same smile as their captain, clearly sharing a comradery over the disdain they held for the young duke and his arrogance. "Good, you all are dismissed, keep this under your helmets and show a bit of kindness to the girl if you interact with her. I have no doubt that she'll need some."

******

Faye and Ferrington watched as their father helped their mother suit up for a journey. Though she had only recently donned her armor for the Festival of the Hunt, it was odd to see her outfitted with more than her patrol outfit so soon. 

"I believe that's everything." Fratley passed Freya her spear. "I will look after Burmecia in your absence. King Puck bids you a safe journey as well." 

"Thank you, I will return in time, my love."

"I know that you will. Your boon companions will protect you just as you will protect them."

They shared a quick kiss before Freya turned her attention to her children. "Come here you two, I wish to speak with you before Eiko arrives." They both moved closer and Freya gave them a loving look. "I want you to know that i'm relieved that you're safe, that you weren't taken from your father and I, but regardless of this, what this thief group has done cannot go ignored. What Zidane thought he had under control may have sparked their retaliation, and I'll not be one to sit idly while my friend's child is in their hands. I do not know when I will return, but I promise you that I will. Amarant and Eiko will be by my side, and as you know, we all escaped the jaws of death many times in our past journey. All that I will ask of you two is to please stay safe and stay aware. I know that you're close with Keahi and seeing him upset also upsets you, but you mustn't under any circumstances try to combat Pelops and try to find Holly. Am I understood?"

"...Yeah." Ferrington replied and Faye nodded. 

There was a knock at the door and Fratley opened it, revealing Eiko. "Hey, you look all ready to go." She tried to smile through the dreary mood. "Mind if I come in for a second?" 

"Please do." 

She walked in looking at her two friends whose eyes were downcast. "Faye." She said softly and Faye's tail perked up. "I'm sorry about canceling those white magic lessons. I know you were really looking forward to them."

"It's fine, this is more important." 

Eiko could see Faye's melancholy as she took a few steps towards her. "Here." Eiko held out an item she had been carrying to Faye. She dropped the Tiger Racket into Faye's hands and she looked up to Eiko in shock. 

"To make up for our lost time. That was the racket I used for quite awhile. Master it, and once everything's settled, show me what you can do!" 

"O-okay...!" Faye tried to hide her tears. 

"Ferrington, catch." Ferrington snapped to attention and quickly caught what Eiko threw at him. A large emerald glistened in his palms. "You're gonna train your tail off while we're gone, right? There's a Dragon technique in that stone to be learned, if you think you can figure it out."

"Of course I can! Who do you think you're talking to!?" 

"A future Dragon Knight of Burmecia, of course." Eiko opened the door and gave them one last smile before leaving. 

"Stay well, my children." Freya kissed them on their foreheads before following Eiko. She shut the door and kept up with Eiko's pace as they approached the airship. "I take it Amarant is already on board."

"Yeah, Nini is too."

"Is it wise for him to come along?"

"I couldn't just leave him, and he's going to be taking care of the airship with the crew. You don't need to worry about him." 

"Very well." Freya nodded. "...How is Amarant?" 

"Quiet, aloof, and most certainly pissed."

******

"...And that's about all the info we got. The few guys we brought in were abandoned members and though not kids, weren't really all that informed either." Marcus finished his report to Zidane. 

"So you've thoroughly searched through the southern part of the the continent, yet they stole someone from right under our nose." Zidane stared at the map sleepily.

"We need more info, Zidane. The extra manpower is appreciated, but we're just aimlessly wandering at this point." Blank took the map from Zidane and rolled it back up. 

"Unfortunately, our one lead is no longer with us." Zidane spoke carefully, hoping Tucker wasn't nearby "But it's not as if we can just stop at this point. We have to get these bastards caught."

"We didn't say we were gonna stop." Cinna added. "It's just that it might take a little longer than you anticipated." 

"We also might be missing something. I doubt they're stationed anywhere else but the the Mist Continent. They know it well and are using it to their advantage. They felt confident enough to just swoop in and escape without any of us noticing until it was too late." Zidane closed his eyes, trying to think. 

"Missing what?" Blank prodded. 

"I don't know. You'd think us, Tantalus, who made this continent our playground all our lives would be able to find a group of thieves, but if I learned anything about this world during everything that happened, it's that there's a lot we still don't know. Garland knew everything but only told me so much. If only there was another old man lying around who could spout more knowledge."

"Isn't there though?" Dagger entered into the chamber from the secret passageway, causing surprise amongst the guests. "Sorry, I got a bit tired of being left out of this whole affair. The incident at Lindblum confirms that I should be more active in this issue." 

"I'm in no position to argue at this point. What are you thinking, Dagger?"

"I'm talking about Ramuh. The Eidolons have been living on Gaia for a long time, I believe if we ask him for help, he will aid us. The Peridot is only meant to call for him in battle, but if a summoner was to go to Pinnacle Rocks and seek him out, i'm sure he would appear." 

"You mean Eiko. Hmmm. Well, we've got no other leads." Zidane took a transmitter from his pocket. "I don't know if they're in range right now but-" He flicked it on and started his broadcast. "This is Zidane radioing the Eiko Garde I. Do you read me?"

There was static, and then the click of someone replying. "Loud and clear, this is Nini, currently manning the radio."

"Hey Nini, could you put Eiko on?"

"You got it."

Muffled static followed by movement announced Eiko's arrival. "Eiko here, what's up, Zidane? We're ready for our orders whenever you are."

"Eiko, I need you to go to Pinnacle Rocks. Dagger thinks that talking to Ramuh there might help us better understand some things. I'm not super sure he's still there but it's worth a shot."

"Alright, i'll look around for him there. Should I just ask him for directions or...?"

"We need to figure out if there's something about the Mist Continent we're missing in our search. He's been around for awhile, he probably knows something."

"Okay, we're on our way. We'll report back soon."

******

Tucker stared at his arm as Dr. Tot took off the wrappings. He felt no pain from it anymore, but as his fingers were cut free, he noticed their immobility immediately. 

"It seems the fire left quite a few scars on this arm." Dr. Tot carefully examined it.

Tucker moved his eyes down his arm all the way to his left hand. The largest burn extended from his wrist, to the tips of his fingers. The skin looked bubbled, uneven, and for a split moment, Tucker felt relief, but why? The burn has caused his hand to be this way, inflexible and crippled, so why was he happy to see it in such a state?

"...Dr. Tot."

"Yes, Prince Tucker?"

"Was there... Something on my hand before I was burned?" 

Dr. Tot stopped his examination, the glare on his glasses hiding his expression. "Forgive me, Prince Tucker, but that is a question better answered by your father. For now, let us focus on removing the rest of your bandages." 

"Alright..." Tucker tried to let it go, but something in the back of his mind was telling him to dwell on it. He wasn't sure when he would get the chance to talk with Zidane again as after they had returned, he was rarely seen outside his chambers, completely engrossed in his work. Dr. Tot removed the rest of the bandages on Tucker's body and thoroughly examined him. 

"Well, it looks like most of your scars are small enough to ignore and will fade in time. You're a lucky one."

Tucker picked up the mirror Dr. Tot had held up and looked over his face and neck. He almost dropped it in shock as his room's door burst open. 

"Lunch time!" Quina burst in with a tray of food. "Growing prince need to eat!"

"Please knock, Quina." Dr. Tot hid a chuckle.

"Can no knock! Have tray in hands!" 

"Fair enough I suppose. I'll leave you to your lunch, Prince Tucker. If you have any problems you know where to find me."

"Thank you." Tucker answered and Dr. Tot left through the ajar door, Quina taking his place and put the tray down.

"Make sure you eat everything! No skipping out like Rose!" 

"Rose is skipping lunch?"

"Yes, she always nowhere to be found!"

"She's probably training."

"Then that no good! You need food for energy! Energy to train! **I will find her!** " Quina announced and then bounded out of the room. After checking all the obvious spots Rose may have been, Quina took one last look near the gondolas to see Rose rowing back to the castle. "Ah-ha! I find you! Rose, we need to talk!"

Rose tried to hide her discontent as she docked. "Hello Quina. Make it quick please, i'm quite busy. What do you need?"

"I need nothing, _you_ need to stop skipping meals!" 

"Or maybe I ate something while I was in the city."

"Don't lie! I can tell!"

"Quina, with all due respect, you're not my mother and you have no say in my doings!" 

"While you're right," Beatrix came from the west path towards the two "I'd like to know what this scuffle is about."

"Rose skipping meals, not good!" Quina replied. 

"Is that so?" Beatrix looked over to her daughter. 

"It's only lunch..." Rose grumbled.

"Lunch exists to be eaten! Why skip!?"

" **Because I don't need it! Leave me be!** " Rose spat.

"Rose! What has gotten into you!?"

"Oho?" Quina took a few steps towards Rose. "You no need? Then what do you need? Exhausting yourself will only hurt in long run. You never get what you want if you exhausted! I prove this now." Quina drew the giant fork from their robe. "I tell you what, you prove to me that you well enough to skip lunch. You so pale, but, if you _really_ ok, then show me." 

"What? I'm not going to fight you! I know that you have ridiculously powerful magic at your disposal!" Rose argued.

"I no attack, only defend. Hurry up, I busy too!"

"Mother...?" Rose gave Beatrix a questioning gaze.

"Go on, you're stuck on this, so prove yourself." Beatrix returned it with a cool stare. 

Rose reluctantly drew her blade and lined up with Quina. "I don't want to hurt you." She warned Quina. 

"Hah, as if you could!" Quina provoked. 

Rose tightened her grip, lunging at the chef. Quina lifted the fork defend and carefully lined it up, Rose's sword falling into the prongs, getting firmly stuck. "H-huh-!?" Rose stuttered and tried to pry her sword loose.

"Sorry, you lose." Quina twisted their wrist and yanked Rose's sword out of her hands, throwing her to the ground also. Before Rose had the time to react, Quina stuck the sword down next to her in the stone. Rose's shocked expression remained the whole time her eyes traveled from the sword, back to Quina's face. 

"Rose, you know how old I am?"

"N-no?"

"I over 100 now!"

"...What."

"Is true! But you know what? I didn't listen to anyone or feel need to until I met Zidane. He teach me important things, and now it my job to teach others the same. It took me so long, but I won't let you do same! So Rose, come to kitchen and eat lunch! Okay?"

"Uh, y-yes. I'll be along..."

"Good! I wait for you!" Quina happily skipped off towards the castle while Rose dumbfoundedly watched. 

"What just happened?" Rose staggered to her feet.

"I believe that was Quina's way of telling you to stop beating yourself up over things you can't control."

Rose drew her sword and puffed. "I have failed the prince _twice_ now. I'd much rather be using my free time to train then scarf down food!"

"You'll wear yourself out before you know it. Did Quina not just prove this? A knight without their sword is powerless."

"They caught me off guard!"

"And you would be dead in a real fight. Stop trying to take leaps and bounds, Rose, you will not become a knight by sheer will alone. If your body is weak, you remedy this. Now, go to Quina before they return. You've learned a valuable lesson today, don't dishonor your teacher by making them wait."

"Alright, i'm going." Rose grumbled. "So ridiculous...!"

******

"You have returned." Mr. 555's eyes widened at the sight of Mikoto. 

"Yes, but not for long."

"Zidane was looking for you not long ago." 

"Is that so?"

"Yes. He was very worried."

"Tell him the next time he visits not to worry."

"Hmph, tell him yourself." Mr. 555 stormed off. 

Mikoto watched her peer's back until it was out of sight. She had always been direct with them, but had she actually offended him? She didn't have time to try and figure this out. She went to the inn, grabbed a few items, and was off again. 

******

"Keahi?" Lani called out in the quiet house.She spied the top of his head sitting on the back steps as she walked down the stairs. He paid her no mind as she opened the door and sat next to him. Keahi continued to stare blankly at the fence as she began to talk. "Keahi, it's not your fault." His eyes watered but he kept his gaze steady. "And your father will find her."

He felt his tears start to spill as he replied. "...I showed her it was safe here. She _trusted_ me."

"Keahi..." Lani grabbed his face, wiping away the few stray tears. "There is nothing that could have prepared us for this. To know about Holly being here, to be informed about Eiko's party enough time in advance to drug the drink, they were under our noses this whole time. But there's one thing you need to understand. Your father _despises_ people like this group. If he wasn't determined to take them down before, he sure as hell is now. They must think they've really pulled the wool over our eyes, but little do they know of The Flaming Amarant and the strength he has."

Keahi closed his eyes and sighed, trying not to let his emotions control him. "What can _we_ do?" He asked. 

"We be patient, stay safe, and keep our ears open. Anything more would just be getting in the way. Do you understand?"

"...Yes."

"Good, now grab your claw, you and I need a distraction."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends what I consider the second arc of the story.


	23. Hopes

Excited pitter-patter echoed off the stone streets and grew louder as a girl approached the Treno guardhouse. The guard in change prepared for her arrival by moving out of the way, allowing her to do her signature entrance, bursting through in hope of surprising her friend. 

" **BOO!** " She bellowed and a quiet gasp answered. Her eyes followed up a ladder to the top where her friend was busy dusting. 

"I got you today!"

"I almost fell..." She answered. 

"I would have caught you!" 

"Cornelia! How many times have I told you not to barrel in here like a wild animal!" Noche chided.

"Oh come on, Papa, it's not a big deal!"

"It will be a big deal when your teasings end up injuring Holly! She has enough to worry about without you giving her a heart attack on a daily basis!"

Holly slid down the latter and joined them. "It's alright, Captain Noche, i'm fine."

"See!? She loves it!" Cornelia practically tackled Holly into a hug.

"I wouldn't go that far..." Holly accepted the affection, though pulling away a bit. 

Noche shook his head and started back towards his office. "My words are lost on you, just try to keep it down today, I have a lot of work to do."

"Okaaay!" Cornelia replied and then started dragging Holly towards the training area.

"Wait- Cory! I'm not done cleaning!"

"Finish it later! I have something really important to tell you!" 

Holly relented and let herself be pulled along. Watching Cornelia's giddy movements towards her was in stark contrast to how she initially treated their relationship. Cornelia Noche was not so affectionate and rather hostile to Holly when they first met two years ago. Holly had barely started to grasp words again when one day, Cornelia visited the guard house, seeing her father kindly instructing Holly on how to properly clean. Jealousy sprouted immediately, seeing Holly anywhere near her father enraged her, even to the point of tears, which put Captain Noche in a difficult position. He wanted to help the captive Holly, but in doing so was upsetting his precious daughter. He did his best to explain the situation to Cornelia and she tried to understand, but the jealous glares were something she had a hard time hiding. Holly began recoiling every time Captain Noche approached her, and what was surprising to Cornelia, was she found herself upset by this. Her jealousy fully faded one day when she entered into the guard house to see Duke Zaldun had cornered Holly, screaming insults at her while she shook with fear. Her father soon stepped in, only to have Holly give him the same look of fear, it transitioning over to Cornelia as their eyes met. To her, she had been not only cornered by the Duke, but also Cornelia. Holly broke down in tears, shakily uttering 'i'm sorry' over and over as she shut her eyes in desperation. It was this moment Cornelia stopped seeing Holly as some sort of rival, but a little girl who needed someone. She decided that someone would be her as she jumped in front of the Duke's onslaught, arms wide open, making her a wall between the Duke and Holly. 

After threats and whatever else the Duke tried to do to seperate them, it couldn't be done. Holly socialized better with someone close to her age, rather than just her tutor, thus getting the results the Duke so wanted quicker. Even once Holly had fully gotten her voice back and spilled everything she knew, Cornelia kept up her visits, and happily looked forward to them. Cornelia knew all her friends at school would readily ignore her if for some reason her father lost his position, but Holly wasn't part of the judgemental noble children. She was hardworking, a good listener, and wished for nothing more than her freedom, and Cornelia promised her all the support she could manage. Whenever their hair grew long enough, Cornelia would braid and then cut them, selling the braids to noblewoman who wanted extensions or wig makers who needed material. She also started getting proficient in Tetra Master, winning a few 3rd and 2nd places in tournaments, taking whatever the prize was and selling it, adding to the growing pool of money Captain Noche was secretly hoarding for Holly. She would make Holly a free woman, she would see her best friend freed if it was the last thing she did. 

"Alright, so listen to this!" Cornelia finished pulling Holly and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Queen Stella is hosting a Tetra Master tournament next week, and the winnings is 75,000 gil!"

"Woah, that's a lot. Why so much?"

"The word is she's bored and wants some entertainment! Anyone can enter but you just know only the best of the best are going to be in the top 10!"

"Do you think you have a chance?"

"Well, i'm sure gonna try, and so are you!"

Holly eyed Cornelia with confusion. "...What?"

"I'm entering you in the tournament! But shhhh, it's a secret!" 

"Cory, you know i'm not allowed to leave the guardhouse! If the Duke finds out-!"

"He's not gonna find out! Listen, I have the _perfect_ disguise!"

"And what about your father? He's almost always here. I can't just leave!"

"The tournament starts after you're left here alone for the late patrol. I've already got a few of the guards on my side to help you out. Come on, Holly, you're decent in Tetra Master, I know we can do this! With both of us in the tournament, it'll raise our chances of winning. 75,000 gil will take a huge chunk out of your debt!" 

"I-I don't know..."

"Don't you want to see them again!? The people who were taking care of you!? You've gone on and on about wanting to find them and thank them. You'll be a shriveled old prune at the rate we're currently going!"

"Of course I do!" Holly hissed. "But I don't want you and your father to get in trouble! The two of you already do so much for me, I don't think risking it all like this is a good idea."

Cornelia flicked Holly's forehead. "It's not all just for your sake, you know. The Duke is jerk, and seeing his dumbfounded expression once we finally get to free you is going to be a treat to see. He's been overstepping his bounds long before you came along. Nobody in this guardhouse likes him, but they have to obey him. He lords his power over Papa and everyone like they're his slaves. It ticks me off. If I can free you and release the hold Zaldun has over Papa, even a little bit, it's a win-win."

"And what if we lose?" Holly gingerly rubbed the flicked area. 

"Well, even if we don't get first place, 2nd and 3rd place have unspecified prizes too. We can sell them off, whatever they are. Come on, Holly, we can do this! Don't make me beg!"

Holly felt nothing but anxiety thinking over the situation. She had known nothing but the walls of the guardhouse for the past two years. While she didn't fear Duke Zaldun and his tantrums anymore, she was afraid what would become of her if they were caught. He had made passing jokes at her about 'earning' more money in other ways, which Noche had angrily denied him. She shuddered thinking about it. But, if she had put her trust in the Noche family all this time, there was no reason to deny Cornelia to at least try something new. She was indebted to them and felt like she should be doing more than just cleaning. A quick memory of the family of three who were taking care of her flashed in her mind. They were all so patient with her, so caring. She felt her eyes water remembering her short time with them. If she was ever going to take action, perhaps this was step one. 

"Holly? Are you alright?" Cornelia looked at Holly with concern. 

"Yeah..." Holly blinked back tears. "I'll do it. Just make sure that disguise is good."

"Oh, just you wait and see!"

********

"The roots are moving."

"Moving? I thought the Iifa Tree died?" Eiko questioned

"From what I can tell, it did, but something is making the roots move involuntarily around the Mist Continent. Even here, in Pinnacle Rocks, the scenery has changed slightly. While some were moved and not returned, other roots were moved and then placed back, though not exactly as they were originally." Eiko looked at her surroundings and then back to Ramuh. "It is a dangerous thing, trifling with things they don't understand. The roots are the very foundations of this world after it recovered. Moving them carelessly may cause cities to crumble, holes to randomly appear underfoot, and mountains to fall. I have witnessed Gaia's destruction once, and it'd be unfortunate for it to happen once more."

"Especially since we worked so hard saving it!" Eiko grumbled. 

"Indeed. Whether the group you are looking for is responsible for this, I know not, however, if they have been giving you so much trouble in locating them, it's worth considering the possibility." 

"But how could they be moving roots around? I can see them using them as hiding places, that's sneaky, but it's just a bunch of thieves! Not even a mage's Black Magic can move something that large."

"But have you considered that you may be thinking too small? What has the power to move mountains, change weather, and cause untold destruction in the wrong hands?" 

"An Eidolon!? You think there's an Eidolon behind this? That's impossible, Dagger and I are the only summoners left!"

"Once again, thinking too small. You are sorely mistaken if you believe that only your tribe was capable of summoning us. There are so very many of us who still wander aimlessly, without a master to call upon us. The man named Garland held great fear of us and did all he could to prevent us from interfering in his plans. You were once brought to the depths of Mount Gulug, yes? There once was a tribe that lived there until it too was destroyed. The Eidolons there were different from what your tribe recorded. However, their existences are lost having nothing to be bound to and no one to call them. 

"...But if someone like I or Dagger survived and happened to discover their potential-"

"The forgotten Eidolons could very well begin existing among us again." 

"That's bad, that's _really_ bad!" Eiko said, panic rising within her. "What if they summon something that can't be controlled!? Or try to use them like Branne did?"

"It is already dangerous with the very thing keeping our world together being treated like a plaything."

"Why didn't you say anything!?" Eiko fumed. 

"It is my job to observe and do nothing more unless called on. It is your duty as a summoner to prevent the misuse of us."

"I need to get back to the airship-" Eiko tried to ignore her panic.

"You are already there, child."

"What?"

"Wake up, Eiko"

"But i'm-" Eiko felt an unseen hand on her shoulder and Ramuh disappeared along with Pinnacle Rocks. She jerked herself upward to see the bridge of the Eiko Garde I and Amarant towering over her, his hand on her shoulder. 

"Go to your cabin if you need to sleep." He backed away from her drowsy state. 

"Can't-" She quickly replied. "Waiting for the report."

"I'll do it. Go get some sleep. It could be a few more hours before we hear from the surveillance ships."

"Nope, I got this. I just dozed off is all."

"You're exhausting yourself."

Eiko swivelled in the chair she was sitting in, raising her eyebrows at Amarant. "Amarant, I've never seen deeper bags than yours. _You_ go get some sleep."

"I'm not the one taking a nap on the bridge."

"Listen you-!" The beep of an incoming transmission shrilled from the main line. Eiko quickly turned back to the board and patched it in. "This is Eiko, what's the news?" 

"Reporting in! The roots near the Dragon's Gate and Gizamaluke Grotto have shifted, the ones on the former moreso!" 

"Got it, thanks. You're dismissed." The transmission ended as Eiko rose from her chair. "Okay, now i'll get some rest, you'd better too. I'll set the ship to autopilot. It'll be a little bit until we reach the Dragon's Gate."

"This had better not be another dead end." Amarant muttered. 

"They're not always, you know that. We've saved and reunited tons of kids with their families and caught several former members. We're getting closer, we're figuring them out."

"Too slowly. It's been what, two years since we started this?" 

"Regardless of our pace, I feel we're getting close to backing them into a corner. Kidnappings have stopped and they're getting sloppy with the root placement. We don't need Ramuh's eyes to see they're getting desperate." Eiko moved to a map displayed on the wall and made a mark on it. This was the second mark near the Dragon's Gate. 

"They're repeating spots." Amarant confirmed.

"Yeah," Eiko nodded. "There's nothing for them on the other continents, so I doubt they'd even try to leave. They keep up a pattern, they'll slip up and we'll get em'."


	24. Surprises

"Bravo!" Zidane applauded the result of a battle. Steiner had clearly won, but Zidane beamed with pride for Tucker. 

"Bravo? I clearly lost, dad."

"I think he's more proud of your progress, Prince." Steiner offered his hand to Tucker and helped him back on his feet. 

"Exactly! Seeing you can hold your own against Steiner is no small feat! Win or lose, you're doing amazingly!" Tucker tried to hide his sheepish expression, the praise completely opposite to Steiner's harsh training methods. 

"You mustn't butter him up so, he still has a long way to go!" Steiner objected.

"Oh stop, I know how you do your training and he deserves some praise! Besides, i'm hardly away from my work long enough to talk to anyone lately. Let me give my son some encouragement in the few hours i'm free!"

"Do as you wish, we're done for today, Prince. Don't let the king's words go to your head! We will reconvene tomorrow at the same time."

"Thank you, Steiner." Tucker gave the saluting knight a nod before he left him with Zidane. 

"Alright, i've got a little while before i'm dragged back to my paperwork, what say you give your old man a turn? We haven't sparred in ages!" Zidane proposed. 

"Sure!" Tucker's eyes lit up. "Ready lose this time?"

Zidane let out a hearty laugh. "Where do you get your confidence from? Just for that, i'm not going to go easy on you!"

"I'd be disappointed if you did!" Tucker got into his battle stance and Zidane did the same. 

"Goodness, please don't hurt eachother like you did last time!" Dagger's voice rang out behind them. Zidane and Tucker turned their heads sharply to see Dagger escorting Keahi towards them. 

"Keahi! You're here! You never reply to my letters so I wasn't sure if you were visiting me anymore!" Tucker pouted at his friend. 

"Sorry, got a little busy with school and training. But i'm here now. Don't give me that look, i'll make it up to you."

Tucker noted a twinge of sadness behind Keahi's usual expression. He knew of his friend's missing sibling and knew not to mention it, but it was moments like this that left him without anything to say. Zidane took notice to this and stepped in. 

"Well, how about you help out Tucker now? We're about to spar and he's already tired from an earlier match. I think it'd even the odds out a little bit."

"Wh- Dad! Don't drag Keahi into this! And i'm fine!"

"The sweat on your brow says otherwise!" Dagger teased.

"Sure, I don't mind." Keahi lifted his bag down and started rooting through it for his claw. His hand reemerged with the Duel Claws and he firmly fastened it before moving next to Tucker. Zidane whistled at the sight of it. 

"It's been a long time since I saw that! I had it made for Amarant at the Black Mage Village forever ago!" 

"He gave it to me the last time he was home. I've been practicing with it ever since." Keahi gave his arm a quick flex before dropping to his battle stance, one resembling Amarants closely.

"We're really doing this?" Tucker reluctantly got into his own stance. "Isn't this kinda unfair to you, Dad?"

"It's _plenty_ fair, Tucker." Dagger gave her son a worried smile and then shot Zidane a mild glare as he stretched.

"Relax!" He winked at her "I'm giving them a huge handicap." Zidane went for the saber on his belt rather than his daggers, matching Tucker's battle stance. "Alright kids, show me what you can do!" The three of them began their battle as Dagger readied her her healing magic for inevitable bumps and scratches she'd have to heal. Zidane was easily parrying Tucker while dodging Keahi's onslaught, but Keahi was starting to figure out Zidane's patterns, a few of his strikes grazing Zidane's hair. "Man," Zidane jumped away from them. "You two make a good team! I'm gonna have to get a little serious!"

" _Zidane!_ " Dagger hissed and he answered with a grin. 

"Psst, Tucker." Keahi leaned his head down to Tucker's and whispered something into his ear.

"What!? We can do that?"

"You wana try?" 

Tucker nodded. 

"Oho, you two conspiring over there? It's gonna take a lot to catch me off guard-" Tucker lunged towards Zidane while Keahi hung back. The latter held his hand out and a familiar hum of magic made Tucker's saber shine. The surprised Zidane braced for impact. A Water spell spilled from Tucker's blade, promptly lifting Zidane up in the flow, then dropping him down. He fell back onto his bottom and looked up to Tucker, who hesitantly held the saber over him in victory. Both Zidane and Dagger wore shocked expressions, Zidane's quickly changing to one of pride accompanied by laughter. "You win! Colour me surprised, kiddo! You and Keahi not only caught me off guard, but you knocked all the confidence right out of me! Guess i'm not as good as I used to be!" 

"Well, we're not sixteen anymore." Dagger knelt down to her waterlogged husband with a Cura spell. "And you're hardly in a real fight these days."

"Which is technically a good thing." Zidane took Dagger's offered hand and stood back up.

"We just got lucky" Keahi affirmed. "Neither of us were able to do anything until we pulled out a wild card."

"Who cares!" Tucker chirped "I've never won anything! This is so exciting! Since when have you known how to do that!?" 

"Awhile, Mom taught me."

 _'That explains it.'_ Zidane and Dagger looked at each other, vaguely remembering their fight with Lani in Fossil Roo. 

"Alright then, to celebrate your first victory, i'll give you a reward! What do you two want?" Zidane said while wringing out some of the water in his hair. 

Keahi and Tucker exchanged a questioning glance and Keahi shrugged his shoulders. "Is there something you usually ask for in this situation?" Tucker questioned. 

"Not particularly, I'm just really proud of you two and want you to know it. Is there an item you want, a place you want to go?"

"Oh-" Keahi remembered but then shut himself up when all eyes fell on him. 

"What is it, Keahi?" Tucker asked.

"It's nothing. I don't really need anything so you ask for whatever you want." 

"Come on, kid. You clearly had something in mind! Spill it, i'm sure it's doable."

"Yeah, I'm really at a loss, so you go first!" Tucker pushed. 

Keahi wavered a bit, but then spoke his mind. "There's a Tetra Master tournament happening in Treno soon. I'd like to go but Mom's too busy with work and I obviously can't go by myself." 

"A tournament!?" Tucker's face lit up. "That sounds like a ton of fun! We should go together!"

"That sounds like a great idea! If that's what you two want."

"Yes!" Tucker answered for both of them. 

"Yeesh, you're excited." Keahi found it hard to keep up with Tucker's energy. 

"I'll arrange either Steiner or Beatrix to escort you two there, however-" Dagger moved over to the two of them. "You must not reveal who you are, do you understand? If it's found out that the prince of Alexandria is in Treno, some might try to take advantage of you. And furthermore, you mustn't stray from your escort. Even I was a victim of pickpocketing in Treno during a visit just wandering around the streets!" 

"There's a lot of nobles there, but there's also a lot of thieves." Zidane added.

"I'll be careful! I promise!"

"That's all I needed to hear, go along with Keahi now and start practicing!" 

"Thanks Mom and Dad! Let's go!" Tucker excitedly picked up Keahi's bag and started towards the castle's entrance. Keahi stumbled after him with a 'wait up' and they were soon out of sight.

"It's good to see Keahi's in better spirits lately." Zidane picked up his discarded saber and resheathed it. 

"Yes, his faith in everyone's efforts to find Holly is larger than his doubts."

"Guess we should get back to work then. There's still so much to do." 

" **Why are you soaking wet!?** " Steiner had returned with Rose in tow, her turn for a lesson. 

"Tucker and Keahi kicked my butt! That's why~"

Rose tried to hide a giggle as Steiner continued. "You let them win."

"Actually, he didn't." Dagger interjected. "It seems they figured out Sword Magic on the fly and took Zidane completely off guard."

"Water Sword, specifically. Lani's passed her abilities onto Keahi."

"Really..." Steiner looked a mix of amused and surprised. "I wish I had witnessed it." 

Zidane shivered through his sopping clothes. "When the opportunity presents itself again, i'll give you the front row seat. But for now, i'm freezing my tail off!"

"That's what you get for provoking them! Come along now, i'll run a bath." Dagger took Zidane's hand and started leading him back to the castle. 

"Are you still a child?" Steiner grumbled at the sight, hiding the smile that was on his face.


	25. Chances

"You look _perfect!_ " Cornelia gushed at the dressed up Holly. 

Holly glanced at the mirror through the grate of the helmet that had been placed on her. Cornelia had snuck into the guardhouse with a set of armor she had heavily modified to be extremely ornate. It had apparently been a school project she did a few years ago and was a perfect fit for Holly's frame. 

"Don't you think i'll stand out? It's a little flashy..."

"Oh Holly, the nobles of Treno pride themselves in being flashy. You'll fit right in, trust me."

"If you say so..."

"I know so! Let's get going! The tournament starts soon and we need to take the long way to avoid you-know-who's mansion." 

Holly took Cornelia's outstretched hand and began to be led out the guardhouse and into the foreign streets of Treno. There was something oddly familiar about them as the scenery sped by, though she was positive outside the time the Pelops goons were carrying her, this was the first time she was seeing it. She decided to put the thoughts away for another time as the duo arrived at a very crowded card stadium. To Holly's surprise, there were others in costume, perhaps some wishing to hide their identity as well? Nevertheless, it eased her worries a little bit. 

"Let's see what bracket we're in!" Holly was dragged over to a large board with many others looking it over. "Oh, there you are, see where it says 'H'? That's you. I didn't wanna use your real name just in case. I'm in a different bracket, so we may or may not end up against each other." Cordelia pointed to the board. "We'll have to split up from here. I'll be keeping an eye on you so don't worry, ok?"

"A-alright, see you Cory." Holly awkwardly made her way over to her bracket while Cornelia disappeared into the crowd. She sat in her designated area and waited for the tournament to start, keeping her head down and trying to hide the fear shaking through her. 

******

"WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" Tucker bounded through the Treno streets, following a leading Keahi and a flustered Steiner hot on their heels. 

"It's this way!" Keahi took a sharp turn and Tucker followed seamlessly, Steiner not so much. 

"You two need to slow down!" He wheezed, but his plea fell on deaf ears. They all frantically arrived to see the tournament hadn't yet started, but most contestants were seated. The quickly found their brackets and sat in them respectively, Steiner moving to the spectator's area. A small while passed until Queen Stella herself appeared with her assistant and all eyes fell on them. She sat herself in a throne-like chair while her assistant took a step forward. 

"Thank you one and all for attending Queen Stella's Tetra Master tournament. I pray you all have prepared your best decks with the intention of winning the grand prize. It goes without saying that cheating will bring immediate disqualification. With that said, you may begin." Everyone moved to their starting table and the matches began. Cornelia and Keahi easily breezed through the newbies and amateurs while Tucker struggled through his matches, though still victorious. Holly found herself extremely lucky as a good chunk of her bracket were no-shows, allowing her to gain some wins without doing anything. All the weak were soon weeded out with only seasoned veterans or the incredibly lucky left. The top 10 remained, and all four of them in the list. Queen Stella's assistant called for a five minute intermission as they organized the final bracket chart. 

"We're so close!" Cornelia practically shook Holly with excitement. "We actually have a chance!"

"I just got lucky, Cory. Most of my bracket wasn't even here."

"It's a sign! Your victory is meant to be! But, we're both gonna have to be extra careful now. I observed a few matches after I finished mine and a few of the competitors are crazy skilled. Especially that red haired kid!"

"Who?"

"That guy over there! He's with the shorter kid talking with the guy dressed like a knight."

Holly followed Cornelia's index finger to the three she was referring to. Her blood ran cold. He bore a striking resemblance to the boy she had so fondly remembered this past two years. No... No! It _was_ him! He was a bit taller but it was most definitely him! A fleeting thought of running to him sprang from her mind, but the heavy fear of her situation struck it down. If she were to reveal herself to him, it would not only put her friend and her parent's livelihoods in danger, but with the extreme amount of debt on her shoulders, there was no way she wanted the kind family to be shackled with it. If word got out that she actually had connections, she could only imagine what the duke would do to drag that family through the mud. Holly tried to stop her heart from breaking, and turned away from the sight of him. She was glad the helmet hid her features as a few tears welled up. 

"Holly? Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah," She struggled out. "Just some pre-match jitters. I'm f-fine."

Cornelia looked to Keahi and then back to Holly. The horn for the next matches sounded and Holly went to her table before Cordelia had the chance to protest. Holly's luck prevailed once again as the person she was to vs disappeared while Cornelia was set up with Tucker. Keahi quickly ended his match with ease and went over to Tucker's match just in time to see his loss. He shook hands with Cordelia before facing his friend. 

"Oh well, it was fun." He smiled at Keahi. 

"You did really well. Being in the top 10 is something to be proud of."

"I'll try to not let my spirit be too crushed then. Try to win, Keahi, i'll be next to Steiner in the spectator's area."

"I'll see what I can do."

Holly found herself actually in match and somehow miraculously won, leading her into the finals. Cornelia gave her a huge thumbs up before sitting down at her own semifinal match against Keahi. While she was happy that they now had a 50/50 chance at the prize, she had to defeat this boy. His deck was insanely strong while Holly's was above average. If she won, it was win/win not mattering which of them lost, but if this boy won, he would surely kick Holly to the curb. She let out a nervous sigh as she selected her cards. 

"Your nerves getting to you?" He smirked at her. 

"Let's just say there's a lot on the line right now." She glared back at him. Keahi gave her a confused look but drew his cards as well. Just as she predicted, he was skillfully claiming her cards left and right, however, she could claim victory. All his cards were in play and she with one left to place. Her victory would depend on the power of her card against the favourable numbers his targeted card displayed. If she could manage to overpower it, the combo would be enough to for her to win, but if she failed it was all over. She placed it down and they both watched the numbers scroll. The both dropped significantly, however, Keahi's card held out and the entire board turned red, giving him a perfect match. She swore inwardly as she begrudgingly handed over her cards. 

"We will take another five minute break as we prepare for the final match!" The assistant called out and the stadium bustled with activity.

"That was a good match, the best i've had all night." Keahi held his hand out for a handshake. Cornelia took it and firmly grasped it, pulling him close enough to hear her murmur. 

"We need to talk, **now**." She continued by pulling him forcibly through the crowd and outside the stadium. Keahi was genuinely surprised at the girl's strength and gave her little resistance, her pre match statement echoing in his head. Cornelia pulled him around the side of the stadium and let him go. 

"Look, if this is about your cards, you can have them back." Keahi started to pick them out of his deck. 

" **Forget about the damn cards!** I need ask you a favour!"

"Uh, ok? And that is?"

"I need you to lose the final match."

"What? No! Why would I do that!?"

"If you do, i'll give you my entire deck! I have more cards just as good as what you just won from me!"

"I don't want your damn deck! The hell is wrong with you!? I'm going back inside-"

"Wait- **Please!** " She jumped in front of him "This isn't about me! Let me explain!" Keahi was about to push past her, but the look in her eyes made him flinch. He backed away and sighed.

"Start talking, we don't have much time."

Cornelia hesitantly looked back to the duke's mansion in the distance, and then turned back to Keahi with resolve. "How much do you know about the thief group, Pelops?"

Keahi felt an angry chill take over him as he glared down at Cornelia. "A lot more than you'd think."

"Good, that makes this easy. That girl in there you're facing for the grand prize is an ex member. She was thrown into a noble's mansion here as a decoy, she killed his pet monster in defence, and now she's got an insane amount of debt for that. She's my dear friend and I snuck her out of her cell tonight so we'd both have a chance at the prize. It'd take a significant chunk out of it, probably shaving her sentence down several years. But you, you're way too strong! You'll defeat her with little difficulty and we'll go home empty handed! All of this, me dressing her up, sneaking her out, everything will be ruined!" 

"Why haven't you told the authorities about this!?"

"The nobles are the authorities! The duke threatens all of us if we so much reveal that she's under our care! If he finds out I did this, there will be hell to pay! So i'm trusting you to do the right thing!"

The horn sounded and Keahi stared down the passionate Cornelia." **You had better not be lying**." He hissed as he started back up the stairs.

"What would I have to gain from doing so!?"

"75,000 gil."

"Oh _please_ , i'm thirteen. What would I even do with that much money? Buy a million Tetra master blind packs!? Get real!" 

Keahi entered back into the hall to see the armored girl already sitting in spot and he quickly joined her. He took a moment to observe her before picking out his cards. Holly felt as if her heart would jump out her chest as she did the same. She tried to hide her shaking, but did poorly as she place her cards down. Cornelia watched helplessly as the match played out.

 _'She's terrified'_ Keahi glanced up from the board, seeing her stature riddled with fear. He looked back down to the board, all her cards were in play and him with his last. He had two options, try for a risky combo to claim more of her cards, or go for the easy combo that would most likely secure victory. He would look greedy if the combo actually failed, but no one would call him out on throwing the match. He placed the card down and looked at the grate of the helmet. 

"Don't be afraid." He quietly whispered to her.

"W-what?" Holly answered.

"I said it's your victory." He smiled and then pointed to the board. The majority was blue, Holly was the victor. Cornelia ran to her and hugged Holly with all her strength, mouthing a small thank you to the exiting Keahi. He received his 2nd place prize as Holly watched his back sadly while he was joined by his other two companions before fading from her sight. The rest of the night was a blur for her. To receiving her prize, sneaking away, and then trying to discreetly get back into the guardhouse as nothing had happened. While she glad for her victory, she found herself upset for not revealing herself. She knew that she couldn't have, but it was a regret she was surely going to carry for a long time. 

Keahi mindlessly stared at his prize of various auction house items as Tucker happily sang his praises for coming in second. He stopped dead in his tracks causing Steiner and Tucker to do the same. "Steiner, there's something I need you to tell the King when you get back."

"It is late now, but I will tell him in the morning. What is it?"

"The other finalist, the girl in the funky armor, she's a Pelops abandonne. A duke here is holding her hostage."

" **What!?** Where did you learn this!?"

"She was in the tournament trying to pay off a debt he's holding over her. The girl who lost to me in the semifinals told me everything. Is there anything we can do?"

"You'll trust the words of this girl?"

"I wouldn't have thrown the match if I didn't."

"We have to do something!" Tucker looked at Steiner pleadingly. Steiner couldn't deny a plea from the Prince. He turned to Keahi.

"I will need the description of the girl in question. You must leave the rest to me and i'll do everything in my power to get to the bottom of this. Are we agreed?"

"Yeah, her bracket name was Cornelia."

******

Beatrix entered into Treno on a mission. Her King and Queen had bid her to go and find an Pelops abandonne using the information from the young Keahi. While there was a chance that the girl had been lying and just ran off with the prize money, it couldn't be ignored that there was possibly a child here in need to rescue. She approached a Treno guard on duty. 

"Pardon me, I need a moment of your time. I am looking for someone. A young girl that may be going by the name of Cornelia and has these features. Have you any idea of whom I speak of?" Beatrix held up a paper for the guard to read.

The guard looked over the paper and then to Beatrix. "You're looking for the captain's daughter? I'm going to have to ask you why."

"I am General Beatrix of Alexandria. On the decree of King Zidane and Queen Garnet, I have been asked to search for this girl as she may be a vital key in the possibility of another girl being held against her will and involving the thief group; Pelops. As Alexandria and Lindblum have taken charge over the situation and are still actively hunting said group, we have the jurisdiction to investigate any and all leads." Beatrix showed Alexandria's crest as proof to her claims. The guard seemed to waffle over what had been told him. If she was bonafide, then Holly could possibly be free, but this also could be trouble in itself. "Well, am I to wait all day for your reply? Oh shall I commence the investigation this moment?"

"No, it's just that-" The guard paused for a moment to think a bit more. "The situation around the girl being held is a bit complicated. Royals orders or not, I can't do anything for you."

"And why not?"

"How about you go to the guardhouse and see for yourself. You didn't hear that from me." The guard walked away from the irritated Beatrix and disappeared into the slums. She forgot her anger and marched to the guardhouse with hope that what she was seeking would become more clear. Beatrix saw the guard that was standing outside the guardhouse flinch, but not at her arrival, but whatever was going on inside. 

"-dare you!" She heard the end of as she approached. "You think you're going to get away with this!? You were told to **never** leave the guard house you little wench!" A distressed whimper followed by a different voice begging for the punishment in the stead of whomever was currently on the receiving end. 

" **Move.** " Beatrix ordered the guard.

"I-I can't let civilians in here-"

" **I am no civilian, get of the way before I forcibly move you.** " The guard relented under Beatrix's glower and she flung the door open. The scene that greeted her was a young man holding up a small girl by her shirt, and another girl with the features Beatrix had familiarized herself with watching in horror. 

"And just who the hell are you?" Duke Zaldun spat. 

"Put the girl down."

"Excuse me? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

"No, do you?" Beatrix drew her sword and Duke Zaldun responded by dropping Holly and putting his hands up. Cornelia quickly ran to Holly's side and moved both of them to the training area and out of the way. 

"Woah now, best put that away before you do something you'll regret. Let's talk this out."

"We are far past the stage of talking. I am General Beatrix of Alexandria and i've come to investigate a hostage situation. Though, I don't think there's much to investigate at this point. You are hereby under arrest and have the right to remain silent. Resist and you shall meet the end of my blade."

"For what? Lady, you have no clue what you're messing with right now. Best back off and don't bother with things that don't concern you."

"I am giving you one more warning. Either come with me or face the consequences."

"And if I refuse?"

Beatrix answered by quickly charging her blade with Shock and releasing it on the duke. He fell back unconscious and Beatrix sheathed her blade. "Simpleton..." Beatrix grunted as she moved to check his pulse. She looked over to the trembling girls and cautiously approached them. "Please, do not fear me, I'm here to help you."

The door bursting open stopped her approach. " _ **Cornelia!**_ " Captain Noche bellowed. His eyes darted to the fallen duke, to his daughter with Holly, and finally to Beatrix's presence. 

"The captain, I presume?" Beatrix turned to face him. 

"Who are you!? What is going on here!?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Is it normal for your friend here to abuse children so? It would be best if you started talking."

******

Beatrix threw Duke Zaldun into the cell that Holly had been calling her home for the past two years. 

"You can't so this!" He screamed. 

"I can. Blackmail, withholding information about Pelops, endangering and imprisoning a minor, assault... I could keep going, but you surely understand that your Dukedom means nothing in this situation. I'll even have you know that the King and Queen themselves killed the monsters before the Behemoth and your father rewarded them. You are a sad, selfish man, and you keep quiet until your day of judgement comes." Beatrix stepped away from the muttering cell to Noche. 

"And as for you, while you are also a victim in this, you wont get off scot free either. I expect you to understand this."

"Yes, it was foolish of me to continue in this ruse, even if my intentions were for good."

"Regardless, what's done is done. I must go report to the King and Queen. I will return in a few days to collect the girl, you, and the duke. You are not to let him out of the cell under any cirmumstances, am I understood?"

"Yes, of course."

"Good. Now take the girl out of this place, give her proper lodging and meals until I return. I can hardly see her in the corner where she and your daughter are hiding, but I can tell she deserves far better than where the duke currently resides."

"You have my word, i'll do just that."

"Good. I will be back soon." Beatrix marched out of the guardhouse and into the eternal night air of Treno. 

"Noche, you will let me out of here **this instant!** " Zaldun roared. 

"I don't take orders from you anymore." He spat back and bent down to the curled up Cornelia and Holly. He ignored the duke's screaming and gently placed his arms around them. "It's alright, girls, it's over. I'm so, so sorry."

"I'm... OK" Holly managed.

"I am too, we're not mad at you, papa"

"I wish you'd be a little bit. This is partially my fault. Noche lifted them both on their feet and gave them a nod. The three of them left the guardhouse behind and the duke's hysteria with it. 

"Is Holly free, Papa?"

"She is."

"Can she stay with us?"

"Until the general returns, i'd want nothing more."

"Thank you..." Holly held back a sob. With one of her hand's in Noche's and the other in Cornelia's, she intently listened to her friend's happy chatter all the way to their house, relief and hope washing over her.

Noche's wife was more than welcoming to her and did everything to ensure Holly felt at home. After dinner, a warm bath, and a pair of hand-me-down pajamas were given, Holly practically fell asleep standing before Cornelia led her to the guest room. She felt some of her burdens fall away as she hit in bed and entered into what she hoped was a dreamless sleep. No more yelling, no more anxiety over yet-to-be-cleaned areas, and most importantly, no more waking up to cell bars. What would she do now? The general that had saved her promised to return and collect her, but to where? A thought pricked at her as uncertainty creeped back in. She came to a realization that roused her awake. 

She may be free, but at what cost? Captain Noche was to surely lose his job, and Cornelia would suffer for it. How could she make it up to them? The large amount of gil she had won from the tournament flashed in her mind. Yes, this situation was her fault, and she would remedy it. Before she would begin her search, she would make sure everything was fine here. When the 'morning' of Treno arrived, Holly started her day by giving the gil to Noche. 

"What is this for?"

"You're probably going to lose your job over all this, so please, take my earnings and support your family, as an apology for all the trouble i've caused."

"Good gracious, child! What's put it in your head that the trouble is your doing?" 

"Well, everything was fine until I showed up....

"It most certainly was not! Holly, the duke had been terrorizing the guards long before you arrived! If anything, I should be thanking you, dear girl."

"B-but-" 

"But nothing! That money is yours to spend, even though you earned it behind my back. In fact, you should go out with Cornelia today and do something fun with your day. Is there something you've wanted to do all that time you've been locked away?"

"Well, yes, however I don't think I should do it now..."

"Nonsense! Tell me what it is and we'll get on it."

Holly weighed her options. Her desire to find the boy was even stronger having seen him at the tournament. She had no idea what waited her if she decided to go with the general when she returned. Holly instead spoke her mind and asked for help.

******

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" Noche looked over the now battle ready Holly. She was wearing the armor Cornelia had made once again, however they had taken it to the synthesis shop and turned it into something sturdy, but more akin to travel gear. They even had an eyepatch made to match. She held a staff in her hands and a smile on her face. 

"Yes. I don't want to be dragged around anymore and forge my own path. I'm sure the general has my best interests in mind, but, I want to do things on my own, i'll find that family, thank them, and figure out what to do after that. Please tell her i'm sorry when she returns."

"But what about monsters? I know you killed the behemoth, but-"

"I've got that covered!" Cornelia interjected. "You'll never guess what third prize was at the tournament!" She put her pinkie fingers in her mouth and then whistled loudly. Within moments, a fiery, red chocobo arrived on the scene and Cornelia awarded it with gysahl greens. "Ta-daaaa! It's a chocobo! His name is Fira and as long as you're riding him, you'll never have to worry about monsters! Queen Stella had him as a pet but didn't want him anymore. Take care of him for me, will you?" Cornelia pushed Holly up to Fira and he knelt down enough to be mounted. 

"A-are you sure? He's yours."

"We'll share him! As long as you call him and have gysahl greens, he'll be there. We can use him to send letters and stuff too! You gotta promise to write me!"

Holly hesitantly boarded the foreign creature and got her bearings with it. Fira gave her a happy nuzzle and she pick up his reins. "I'll write you as soon as i'm in uh..." Holly tried to remember the name of her destination. 

"Lindblum" Noche repeated for her. "It sounds most like the city you were describing from your memories. You must first go to the Summit Station and then through it you will find a small village called Dali. An airship for Lindblum leaves there once a day, so you may need to stay an night at the inn if you miss it today."

"O-okay! I think I got it now!"

"One more thing," Noche handed Holly and envelope "There's a gate pass in there and a world map, you'll need both of them i'm sure. Also, I want you to have this." Noche handed Holly another, larger, envelope with the savings he had accumulated for her. She opened her mouth to protest, but Noche shook his head. "Those are your earnings, you're not doing anything wrong by taking it."

Holly reluctantly took the stuffed envelopes and placed them into her bag. She gave her friends one last smile before turning Fira towards the entrance to Treno. "Thank you for understanding, thank you for everything."

"Visit once you've finished all your business! I'll be waiting for your letters!"

"Be safe."

"I will!" Holly answered as Fira started off on a trail to the Treno gate.


	26. Apologies

Ferrington lazily leaned on his spear as he overlooked Burmecia. The rain had let up giving him a perfect view and he scanned the streets just as he always did. A yawn escaped him as he started to move to a different vantage point. He saw his father had already beaten him to his next destination and he decided to greet him. 

"You got this side covered, Dad?"

"You may take over, Ferrington. I will start my rounds anew."

"Don't you think this is a little overkill? Everyone is on high alert, the city is going to be in lockdown, all because of a potential chance of Pelops goons _maybe_ being nearby?" 

"While your mother and her companions investigate the Dragon's Gate, we must monitor the situation here and the Grotto. One can never be too careful, Ferrington."

"Yeah, yeah. You've repeated that many times before."

"Because it is true."

"Mmm." Ferrington replied as the last airships for the day passed over. They watched one land nearby the entrance, a few passengers beginning to exit it.

"Change of plans, Ferrington. You go to the airship and inform the pilot that they're not to do anymore trips here until further notice. I also want you to tell all the passengers of what they must do. If you see anyone suspicious, report it to me immediately."

"On it." Ferrington replied before jumping into the sky. As he drew closer to the airship, he noticed that all of the passengers were Burmecian and quickly landed in front of the small crowd. He told them of the situation and they all complied before he started back towards the airship. He saw some of the crew doing minor maintenance before setting off again. "Excuse me." Ferrington caught their attention. "I need to talk with the ship's captain on behalf of King Puck."

"Go on inside, he should be on the deck."

Ferrington gave them a nod and entered into the ship. He easily found the captain, explained the situation and was soon on his way out. "Before I forget," Ferrington stopped himself and faced back to the captain. "Was this ship only carrying Burmecians today?"

"We picked up a human girl in Dali."

"Really? I didn't see her get off with everyone else."

"She was riding with a chocobo which we were keeping in the hull. She probably went to go fetch it before getting off. You must have just missed her." 

Ferrington tsked in irritation as he hurried off the ship. He jumped onto a nearby roof and looked over each street one by one. Much to his relief he spied a small figure with a fluffy red chocobo not too far from him. He took to the ground and began his approach. He could hear the girl muttering as he closed in.

"Hmm, I don't think this is Lindblum..." She had a piece of paper in front of her face. She traced her finger along it and sighed."I don't suppose you know how to read maps!" She directed at the chocobo and it replied by playfully resting it's head on top of hers. She laughed and then put the map back in her bag. "I guess we'll ask for directions."

"You there!" Ferrington called out in his most authoritative voice. She responded with a large gasp and falling backwards. Her chocobo caught her in it's beak just in time. 

"Um, h-hello?" She shakily replied as she got her footing back. 

"I apologize for startling you, but I need to inform you of your current situation. May I have your cooperation?"

"My... Situation?"

"Yes, the kingdom of Burmecia is under lockdown until further notice, as of the last airship you just departed from."

"Bur...mecia?" She pronounced it slowly, thought for a moment, and then dug out the paper again, which Ferrington discovered was a map. She finished studying it with a frown.

"I got on the wrong airship..."

"Where were you heading?"

"Lindblum."

"Fortunately, Lindblum is nearby and we have airships that travel there daily, however, you'll have to wait until the lockdown is lifted."

"Oh... I can't leave?"

"You can once the lockdown is lifted. I'll escort you to our inn just as soon as i've made sure you're not suspicious." 

"Huh!? Suspicious!?"

Ferrington looked over the small girl from head to toe. Ridiculous looking armor, an overly stuffed bag, and all on what looked to be a minor.

"Indeed. I just need to ask you a few questions and we'll be on our way."

 _'I can't catch a break wherever I end up!'_ Holly griped to herself before complying.

"Fine, what do you need to know?"

"First i'll have you remove your helmet."

"...Why?" Holly tried not to sound irritated. 

"Because it is obstructing your features. I need to be able to see them so I can record a report properly of this interaction."

Holly grit her teeth as she slowly took the helmet off. Now that she had eyes on her that were not familiar, she had become self conscious about her taken eye. She had been asked to take it off at the border crossings as well, and the mix of surprise and looks of pity really got under her skin. She tried to ignore the burmecian boy's continual judgemental glare as she finished removing it. Ferrington's eyes were immediately drawn to the eyepatch that matched the rest of the armor and tried to figure out if it made her look even more suspicious. 

"Is that just for show?" He pointed at her eyepatch. Holly's good eye twitched in anger.

"Obviously not."

"It matches your outfit despite being hidden most of the time, so no, it's not obvious."

"Well if you want me to remove it too so you can _confirm_ that my eyeball is indeed gone, I suppose I could do that too."

Ferrington realized he had touched a nerve and disregarded her snide comment. "Where are you from?"

"Treno."

"You traveled here all by yourself? You look a bit young for such a thing. Where are your parents?"

"I have none." She crossed her arms, clearly starting to tire of this.

"Yet you lived in Treno?"

"I worked there. If you don't believe me, you can contact Captain Noche of the Treno Guard. I worked for him the past two years." Holly told him, knowing that it wasn't the whole truth, but the truth all the same. 

"...I see." Ferrington held out his hand, starting to tire of this himself. 

"I just need to inspect your bag and we'll end this, okay? Please hand it to me." She reluctantly passed it to him and a sense of dread washed over her as Ferrington's eye's widened looking inside. "You're carrying a lot of gil!"

"That's a problem?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Then please give it back" Holly reached back for her bag.

"How about you tell me why you're carrying this much around!?"

"Why does it matter? You just said it wasn't a problem! Give me my bag back!"

"I'm not liking your attitude. You're acting awfully suspicious."

" **Or** , i'm mad that I took the wrong airship, that i've been asked several upsetting personal questions, and that my belongings are now held hostage. Please give me my bag back!"

"Just answer the question and you'll get it back! If you keep being like this i'll have it confiscated!"

" **No!** " Holly lunged for her bag and managed to grab onto it before Ferrington had the chance to pull back. 

"Hey, back off!" Ferrington pushed at Holly and the still slippery streets from earlier rains caused her to fall onto her back. 

" **What is going on here!?** " A voice bellowed from above and Fratley landed between them. Fira began fluffing his feathers along with low growl in response to Ferrington's aggression.

"Dad, look at this girl's bag! She's suspicious as hell over it and refuses to talk about it! Nobody, traveler or not, should be carrying around this much gil!"

Holly lifted herself from the wet bricks and put a reassuring hand on Fira, stopping his anger. Fratley looked over to Holly who was now close to tears and then back to his son who was earnestly showcasing her belongings. There was a lot of gil in the bag, but also simple travel supplies, a staff, gysahl greens, and a gate pass issued from Treno. Fratley sighed as he shut the bag and pried it from Ferrington. He turned to Holly who involuntarily took a step back.

"Miss, here is your bag. I apologize for the misconduct my son has shown to you. Please allow me to escort you to our inn."

Holly snatched the bag back and quickly re-mounted Fira. "No thank you, i'll find it myself!" She seethed before galloping down the streets. 

"You're just letting her go!?" Ferrington blurted.

Fratley sharply turned to Ferrington. "It is not unusual for someone from Treno to have more gil than they can carry. Furthermore, you are to _never_ get violent with someone you are questioning!"

"Yeah, unless they start something, and she did! She tried to snatch the bag back from me!"

"Your response was childish as is your argument. I asked you to report to me the moment you found someone suspicious! Instead you harassed a girl to tears over what, having a bit more gil in her bag?" 

"She wouldn't answer questions!"

"That still gives you no right to respond as you did. Your judgment is as poor as your attitude. Go home, Ferrington, your patrol is done for today. I'm going to make sure that girl gets safely to the inn and I will further your 'investigation' if I feel the need to." Fratley jumped off without another word, leaving Ferrington to stew.

"I was just doing what was taught to me...!" He griped as he turned down the street to where his house was. He angrily pushed the door open making a busily cooking Faye almost drop the pot of soup she was holding. 

"Geez, what's wrong!? You look like you're in a worse mood than usual!"

"Shut up! Leave me alone!"

"Oh man, you messed up again. Dad got mad at you, didn't he?"

" **I said shut up!** " Ferrington slammed the door while glaring at his sister.

"Wow," Faye put the pot down. "If you think i'm going to take that, you're sorely mistaken, Ferri." She waved her hand and magic hummed. Ferrington immediately flinched realizing his mistake, but a Blind spell hit him before he could apologize. 

"Auugh-! Faye! Really!?" He fell to the floor and Faye went back to her cooking. He could barely see her frame through the inkiness clouding his sight.

"You don't take out your anger on me. We've been through this. Either apologize and i'll cast Esuna, or you can wait the spell out, maybe you'll cool off in the process. He heard her starting to peel vegetables and he rubbed his eyes with no results. His anger was slowly fading but the spell was not. Ferrington had learned that his sister was no longer the lightning rod he made her out to be and this was her way of biting back. He knew he deserved every moment of it after the fact, still learning to control his temper.

"I'm sorry." 

Faye cast the Esuna spell without a second thought and as Ferrington's sight returned, he saw Faye was giving him her full attention. "You're forgiven, now tell me what happened." He relayed the situation to her as calmly as possible and she listened intently until he finished. "Alright, so, I get why you did what you did, but you do understand why Dad's mad, right?"

"Yeah."

"Just apologize and think of it as a learning experience."

"I guess so..."

"What do you mean 'I guess so'!? Ferri, just because you're an official Dragon Knight now doesn't mean you stop learning new things!" The front door opened again and Fratley walked in. "Hi Dad, dinner will be a little bit longer, sorry." Faye greeted her father and then turned back to the stove. 

"That is fine, there's no rush." Fratley looked over to Ferrington who was still on the floor. "Any reason you've taken to sitting on the ground?"

"Take a wild guess how I got here." Ferrington pointed to Faye, who pretended not to notice, and Fratley understood. 

"If your sister is done with you then join me at the table, I wish to speak with you." Ferrington joined his father at the table and braced himself for another earful. "I'm going to spare you a lecture as i've said most of what was needed already. However, I don't want your apology. I want your word that you'll never do such a thing again. We are to protect and to be patient, not jump to conclusions and vent our frustrations."

"I understand, I won't make the same mistake twice."

"That will do. I want you to spend the rest of the lockdown monitoring the girl, but not interacting with her. It'd be best if you kept your distance, however I do think an apology is needed or you may come off as trying to harm her. Do so and then leave her be besides checking her location now and then."

"...Got it" Ferrington replied, still a bit sore about the confrontation. 

"Don't sound so excited, Ferri!" Faye teased.

*******

Holly gave her body a stretch as she exited the inn, her back still hurting after her scuffle with the knight the day before. She turned to the side of the inn where Fira was meant to be staying under a small canopy, but he was nowhere to be found. Holly put her pinkies in her mouth like Cornelia and tried to do the whistle, but had difficulty getting the sound out. 

"You're doing it wrong." Ferrington jumped down from the inn in front of Holly. "Pretty strange that you don't know how to call your own chocobo." Holly responded by taking a gysahl green from her bag, placing it under the canopy, and walking past Ferrington. "Come on, don't just ignore me."

"Were _not_ doing this again."

"I'm sorry!" Ferrington said so suddenly Holly stopped her stride. "I'm... Sorry." He repeated. Holly looked back to him and he continued. "How about I show you how to properly call your chocobo as an apology gift? You have to put your pinkies on the back of your tongue-" Holly rolled her eye and went back into the inn. "Or not..." Ferrington sighed. 

"Smooth." Faye needled as she approached.

"I was apologizing!"

"You were showing off."

"What are you even doing here!?"

"Dad asked me to talk to her and heal her. She apparently hit the pavement pretty hard yesterday. Maybe you should have apologized for that instead of transitioning to whistling."

"Yeah, probably."

"Give her some space and try again later. Seeya." Faye waved at him as she entered the inn. Holly was quickly ascending the staircase and Faye gave chase. "Please wait!" She called out and Holly tiredly groaned, She turned around regardless and let Faye catch up. "Hi, i'm the sister of the boy outside. I'm really sorry about him and I know it probably doesn't mean much coming from me, but he is trying to apologize properly. He's just not very good at it."

"I gathered that."

"It's an uphill battle, but he is improving. Anyways, i'm here to heal you. I heard he shoved you to the ground yesterday and i'm adept in White Magic, so-"

"I'm fine."

"Aw, not even one little cure spell? Please?" Faye put on her adorable face which managed a snicker out of Holly. 

"Alright, fine."

"Yes! Okay, be still as I cast!"

The spell was over in an instant and Holly felt a little better. Something about her magic seemed familiar, but she was too irritated to dwell on it. "Thanks, I think that helped."

"It's no problem! Let me know if you need anything else while you're here!"

"As long as your brother keeps his hands to himself, it should be fine." Holly continued up the rest of the stairs.

"He's probably going to apologize again-"

"Please tell him to just leave me be. He's forgiven. I'm strangely used to being thrown around so tell him not to worry about it." Holly said flippantly as she opened her room door and disappeared behind it. Faye stared bewildered at the door, afraid to wonder what she meant.

*******

Another day passed and Holly took a detour from her usual walk to find an high vantage point in the city. She had her world map rolled out in her lap as the locations became known. 

"So that's Gizamaluke's Grotto...?" She spied a distant door in the surrounding mountains. "And that's the remains of Cleyra." She looked over to the sandy crater surrounded by large, protruding roots. She looked back to the Grotto to see similar roots. While she was pondering as to what they might be, she heard voices in the air and brought her attention to them. The siblings she had mildly become acquainted with we fighting about something, loud enough for her to hear and spot them among the streets. Holly did her best to ignore them and go back to her map memorization. Lindblum was really close and she tried to see if she could see it on the mountaintops, but saw nothing but more mountain. Giving up, she looked back to the Grotto and more specifically the roots around it. She had seen them around Treno and Dali, thinking they were just in that general area, but they seemed to be everywhere. Something about them stirred an unease in her. Something was gnawing at the back of her mind, something that she has purposely forgotten. Holly's mind wrestled with her on if it was something worth remembering when something else stopped the struggle. Whether it was a trick of the eye or Holly's fatigue taking over, she thought she saw one of the roots by the Grotto move. 

Without warning, one of them did. With effort, it wiggled skyward, leaving its shape as a crater. Holly watched in horror at what happened next. Two very familiar looking men emerged with a large sack, and quickly began fleeing towards the Cleyra crater. The root slowly returned to its previous position as if it had never moved at all.

"No...!" Her breath caught in her throat. She knew what she was witnessing. Every part of her body screamed at her to give chase. There was no time to explain and she had no time to reach them. Fira popped into her mind and even though she hadn't seen him in the past few days, the food she had set out for him had been eaten. She desperately placed her pinkies in her mouth and tried to make a sound. The men were getting closer to their goal and she helplessly watching. The boy's advice of curling her her tongue back came into her mind, and she managed a small noise. She took a breath, and this time, whistled with purpose, insomuch it echoed throughout the entire city. 

"What was that?" Faye looked for the source of the sound. 

"Sound like someone _finally_ figured out to call their choco-" Holly zoomed past them on Fira, almost knocking them both back. "WOAH- Where does she think she's going!?" Ferrington quickly jumped into the air. He landed with ease in front of her dash and Fira skidded to a stop.

" ** _MOVE!_** " Holly roared.

"We're in a lockdown, remember!? You can't leave!" Holly responded by pushing Fira forwards and knocking Ferrington out of the way. She was quickly out of the city before Ferrington managed to get back on his feet. 

"Are you alright!?" Faye quickly hit Ferrington with a Cura spell.

"She's crazy! Does she really want to get to Lindblum that badly? Go get Dad, Faye, i'm going after her!"

"Be careful!" Faye said before running down a street. Ferrington took to the roofs and spotter her... Following two other men? Panic hit Ferrington. 

"Dammit!" He hissed before taking after her.


	27. Risks

Holly was gaining on the two Pelops goons with alarming speed, as if Fira knew her intent and sped up accordingly. The one carrying the sack was lagging behind and she made him her target.

"Fira, grab that bag!" Holly's voice alerted them to her, but she was already on top of them. Fira snatched the bag from the goon and kept running until Holly had him turn and stop. She quickly dismounted, lifted the bag onto Fira's back and then sent him back towards Burmecia. A quick blizzard spell prevented both of the men from giving chase and they stared down the armored Holly with great intensity. 

"Looks like someone's playing hero! You have no idea what you've just done, kid, but you're about to understand!" One seethed. Both absolutely blinded by rage and drunk on the idea of harming Holly, she drew her staff and let out a breath of relief as she saw Fira disappear into the city. 

"The only thing I understand about this, is that you finally messed up. You can do your worst to me, but you're done either way."

"Big talk for such a little girl! Do you think your measly magic is enough to defeat us?"

"No, but there is strength in numbers!" Ferrington landed a direct hit with his spear on one of the goons, and then landed next to Holly. She followed up with another blizzard, knocking the other back. "I was right to be suspicious of you, but for the wrong reasons." Ferrington readied his spear for an attack. 

"I'll give you the full story later if you need it. For now, help me fight!" The two injured goons were now even more angry and lunged for them, the true battle beginning. 

******

Fira loudly called out for anyone who was willing to listen. It was fortunate that Fratley and Faye were almost at the entrance to Burmecia and answered him. Fratley immediately noticed the sack and gently brought it to the ground, opening it to find two sleeping Burmecian children. 

"What the devil...?" The flash of White Draw flickered in the distance and Fratley's heart dropped. Ferrington was fighting, but who or what? 

"Dad, i'll take care of the kids! Go help Ferrington!"

He nodded and jumped off. What he witnessed next was not what he expected. Ferrington and the girl were fighting against two men he didn't recognize. Ferrington was doing his best to keep her protected and strike back while the girl was firing ice magic when she could. Their struggle was evident though, as he could see the fatigue in their stature. Fratley landed in front of an assault aimed at his son and knocked the man back effortlessly. 

"Dad!"

"Get back and start explaining!"

"They belong to Pelops!" Holly answered. "Almost always next to the boss, following her around like dogs!"

"Why you-!" One seethed while the other laughed. 

"Looks like we've got a little survivor here for some revenge! Isn't that _adorable._ " He teased Holly, and she responded by tossing her helmet at his face, and it hit dead on, making him stagger back. 

"Yeah, take a good look! You think it's hilarious to kidnap me, take my eye, and then drop me into a cage with a raging monster!? **I killed that thing and I'll do the same to you!** " She replied, rage blinding her.

They both laughed heartily, the one hit with the helmet wiping his bloody nose. "You can _try_." 

" **Enough!** " Fratley shouted. "You are both under arrest and will surrender immediately!" They both readied their weapons in response and Fratley tightened the grip on his. "Children, you have done enough. Stay back and let me handle this."

"Listen, rat, you're gonna be in for a world of hurt once our boss gets here! You'd best just let us go before she arrives!"

"I do not fear cowards." A green glow emitted under the goons and the crest of a dragon appeared beneath their feet. Transparent jaws of a dragon closed around them. They didn't get up this time. Fratley's grip slackened and he turned back to Ferrington, quickly pulling him into an embrace. "What must I do to get you from doing such rash things!? Are you unharmed!?"

"Wha-" A flustered Ferrington was caught off guard. "I'm f-fine, Dad!"

Holly looked on the exchange with something akin to jealousy, but her eyes shot to movement behind them. One of the goons sprung back up with a blade in hand, a clear path to Fratley. She found herself pushing her shoulder into their embrace, just enough to move them out in time, but as she expected, the blade fell on her instead. _'Ah'_ she thought looking down to the gash now dying her armor red. _'Guess it wasn't as durable as I thought.'_ She heard the clashing of weapons followed by a panicked voice that belonged to whoever was holding her as she fell. Her eyesight was quickly failing her. Fratley made quick work of the goon's last stand and knocked them out thoroughly before moving back to Ferrington who was holding Holly, desperately using Reis's Wind on her, but it wasn't efficient enough. 

"Ferrington, listen to me. I am going to get your sister. You mustn't move her and do not let her fall asleep! I will be back in a moment!"

Fratley was gone and Ferrington looked down into Holly's quickly fading expression. "D-Don't fall asleep!" He ordered and her eyes shot open.

"But... I'm... Tired..."

"Sleep later! I still have to apologize to you properly! So, uh, I'm sorry! I do anything to make it up to you _as long as you don't fall asleep!_ "

"...I recognize... You." Holly's fading sight still able to see Ferrington's face, from this angle it was unobstructed by his helmet and clear. 

"What do you mean? We just met a few days ago!"

"You were there that day... So was your... Sister... I thought.... She was... Familiar..."

"What day? What are you going on about?"

"I'm really.... Glad... They didn't... Take you... Too." Ferrington took a moment to study her face a bit closer, searching his mind as to who this girl was. "I caused... So much... Trouble... For that boy... With the... Red... Hair..." It clicked in his mind. The vague memories of the small girl accompanying Keahi on the Festival of the Hunt surfaced. The day they were all drugged and she disappeared. "You know... Him... Right? Could you please... Tell him... And his... Parents... That i'm... Sorry... For-" Holly tried to reach out to Ferrington whom she had completely lost sight of.

Ferrington firmly grasped her hand as his father returned with Faye in his arms. "You can tell him yourself! I'll take you to him! Just stay with me!" Holly's eyes were too heavy to keep open any longer. Despite Ferrington's pleading, she fell into a deep sleep. 

******

Faye and Ferrington sat in the inn lobby waiting for news. Faye had healed Holly's wound shut, but she had still yet to awaken. Ferrington stared at a few specks of blood that had gotten onto his coat. He felt sick and tried to take a breath to calm himself. Faye noticed her brother's distress and held him.

"Ferri, it's alright. She's gonna be okay, dad threw those guys into the dungeon, and everything is gonna be fine."

"S-she's Keahi's little sister."

"...What?"

"She was talking about the Hunter's Chase a few years back and asked me to apologize to the Corals in her stead."

"You're serious!?"

" **Yes, Faye! Do you think i'd joke about something like this!? After everything that happened today I can assure you I'm not in the mood!** " 

"Ferrington, please keep your voice down." Fratley walked down the stairs and joined his children. "I know it has been a stressful day for us all, but we mustn't make any unnecessary noise as she slumbers."

"Dad, Ferrington just told me that the girl is the one Mr. Coral has been looking for all this time!"

"Is this true. Ferrington?" Ferrington nodded tiredly. Fratley took note of this and placed his hand on his son's shoulder. "Thank you for taking care of her while Faye and I returned. What you experienced today has reached you far more than my chiding words about your recklessness, but I am equally at fault for dropping my guard so easily. You return home and get cleaned up. Faye, I ask you return to her side and watch over her. I must talk with the King and contact the Eiko Garde I."

"Sure, i'll stay here as long as I need to."

"Thank you, I will check on you later." 

******

"Another dead end." Amarant griped as he stared down the Iifa Tree root that had supposedly been moved. He, Eiko, and Freya had spent the last few days combing the area around the Dragon's Gate and had finally stopped their investigation. 

"We're not done yet. We still have the Grotto roots too." Eiko tried to lighten the mood away from their fruitless results.

"That is true" Freya concurred. 

"I feel like if there had been anything worth checking we would've got a message from the Burmecian guard by now."

"Maybe they have! Let's head back to the ship-"

" **HEEEEY-!** " A familiar voice called out to them. Nini was running towards them, almost tripping as he arrived.

"Geez, Nini, did you run all the way here? I know the ship is close by, but still! What's wrong?"

"I'm fine...!" He wheezed. "I just got a message from Sir Fratley! You need to go to Burmecia right away!" 

'What!? What has happened?" Freya asked.

"Not sure, but he said it's something he needs to talk about in person."

"Then let's go, we're done here anyways!" 

******

Fratley stood at the entrance of Burmecia awaiting the Eiko Garde I, it appearing on the mountain tops. He was soon joined by Freya with Eiko and Amarant not too far behind.

"What is wrong, my love? We came as fast as we could!"

"Miraculously, everything and everyone is fine, but I have quite a tale to tell. Let us walk and talk." Fratley explained all that had happened, from the first day of the lockdown, to the acquisition of the Pelops members. They arrived at the dungeon and he led them to the cells containing said members. "They refuse to talk, but the girl claimed they were rather loyal members. Any information out of them may prove useful in the future."

"Staying quiet wont help you, ya'know!" Eiko glared at them. They sneered in reply.

"The boss will come for us, then you'll all be sorry!"

"That's doubtful. You failed and fell into the hands of the 'enemy'. They've abandoned you just like every other member we caught." Amarant retorted. 

"I need to contact Zidane, i'll head back to the airship in the meantime. I'll check on the girl when I come back." Eiko exited the dungeon. 

"Amarant, if I may, I need to speak to you privately for a spell." Fratley requested.

"I will stay here and ask these men some questions. Do try to get along." Freya needled and Amarant shook his head, exiting the dungeon with Fratley. 

"I'm all ears, what do you need to tell me?"

"It is in regard to the girl with the red chocobo. When she was injured and Ferrington was watching over her, she said some things that made him to believe her to be the child you have been searching for. I have no way of confirming it myself, but I ask you to accompany me to the inn and see if she really is who Ferrington is claiming. Also, regardless of her identity, she was injured because of my carelessness, and I beg your forgiveness." Fratley bowed. 

"That's enough of that. The only people i'll be upset with the the two scumbags sitting behind those bars" Amarant gestured behind them. "Besides, If it really is Holly, then she'll eventually get an earful on why not to rush into danger. Now take me to the inn."

"Thank you..." Fratley lifted his head and began leading Amarant to the inn. A light rain began as Amarant mulled over the fact that he might have finally found the girl he had brought into his home and decided to father. He hated returning to his home in Lindblum without her, not wanting encouragement full of sorrow or giving his wife and son any false hope. He made it his purpose not to go home empty handed again. If this was Holly, he hadn't quite figured out how to approach her. She was apparently talking now for one, and he felt nothing but failure at not being able to find her for the past two years. He wondered if an apology would be enough, if he even really deserved her forgiveness for what he felt was a half-assed attempt at protecting her, just for her to be taken away again. Fratley opening the door to the inn broke his train of thought and he continued to follow him until they reached one of many doors. Fratley knocked on it.

"Faye, are you in there?" The door opened and Faye appeared in the frame. 

"Hi, Dad- and Mr. Coral! H-hello!"

"Hey." Amarant simply replied. 

"You can go home now, Faye. We'll take over things from here."

"Okay, i'll be at the house!" She exited the room, leaving them. 

"Please go ahead." Fratley held the door for Amarant and he entered. The moment he set his eyes on her, he knew that it was Holly. A part of him still unconvinced, moved the hair by her left ear back and saw the symbol in her skin. He let out the breath he was holding, a large amount of stress leaving him. He had found her, finally. 

"Yeah, this is her."

"Truly? I will inform Freya and Eiko immediately!"

He nodded and Fratley was off. Amarant pulled the chair from the room's desk over to Holly's bedside and looked her over. "The hell have you been, kid? I was starting to think you were gone for good." His eyes moved over to her bag to see her ruined, bloodstained armor on top of it. He grimaced as he reached for it, a piece of it falling to the ground upon picking it up. He looked to the floor to see the fallen piece was an eyepatch. He sharply looked back at her closed eyelids to see the left one had some scarring around it he has missed at first glance. Amarant gently lifted her left eyelid and swore under his breath. His relief was replaced with a sickening dread as mind started to race. A knock at the door broke him away from his thoughts and Eiko entered into the room.

"Hey, I heard the news and i've come check her over. Seems like a dream after all this time." Amarant said nothing as he started to leave the room. "Don't go too far! I'll need you to carry her out once i'm done here."

"I'll be just outside the door. You want us to transfer her elsewhere?"

"No, you're going to take her home. Zidane's orders, to all of us. We're to go home to our families until further notice."

"Hmph, I was planning on doing that anyways." 

"You gonna take her chocobo, too? He's outside the inn looking really sad!"

"Where are we even going to put a chocobo?" Amarant muttered.

******

Lani looked over the influx of orders her work had taken and that she was to finish bookkeeping for them after hours in her own home. She hoped the light was dim enough not to wake up Keahi upstairs as she continued to sort through everything. Just as she was finishing up, there was a knock at the front door that sounded a lot more like kicking. She got up and approached the door hesitantly.

"...Hello?"

"Lani, it's me. I can't open the door, my hands are full."

Her heart fluttered at the sound of her lover's voice, a few tears starting to pool around her eyes as she unlocked the door and happily flung it open. " _Red...!_ " 

"Hey Lani, sorry for taking so long."

Her instinct was to wrap her arms around him and shower him with kisses, but seeing Holly in his arms stopped her. "That's...! Red! You found her!" Lani's tears began to stream down her face. 

"Yeah, finally. Could you help me get her into bed?"

"Is she ok!?"

"Physically, she's fine, but she needs rest. I tell you the rest in the morning."

Lani nodded and she closed the door behind him as he started for the stairs. "I feel like we should wake Keahi up, but-"

"Let him sleep. I'm going straight to bed after this too so i'd rather just leave the fanfare until morning." Lani opened the door to Holly's room that she had furnished in her absence. "I see you've been busy." Amarant looked around the room to what the moonlight was bright enough to illuminate. 

"It kept me hopeful and sane." Lani replied while peeling back the sheets on the bed. Amarant placed Holly down and pulled the sheets over her. Lani pushed a few stray hairs off of Holly's forehead and she stirred in her sleep. "Welcome back." She placed a kiss on her head before exiting the room with Amarant. 

They both quietly entered their room and shut their door. Like opposite magnets, they were drawn to each other, Lani earnestly kissing him and Amarant more than willing to reply. "Red-" She breathed and he stopped to look her in the eyes. "I'm so proud of you. You brought her home. Thank you...!"

"Took me long enough. I was getting doubtful for a bit."

"I knew you wouldn't give up. The Flaming Amarant doesn't let scumbags get their way." She smirked and he did the same. 

"The boss is still at large, and i'll sure as hell find them."

"I know you will." Lani kissed him again, and their chatting ceased.

******

"Morons." A figure overlooking Burmecia cursed what she was looking upon. The two goons were being led away by Alexandrian soldiers into the Red Rose. "I told you not to pick up any more kids, that they were on to us, and look what happened."

She leaned her chin into her palm, deciding what to do. A smile came to her face as a realization hit her. It didn't matter. Even if they talked, even if she had lost a few extra pair of hands, she was steps from her goal. She didn't need baggage anymore, certainly not two idiots who don't listen to orders. They were always primitive anyways. The kids and other members were also phased out and now so were they. It was time to finally leave the Mist Continent behind. She grasped a cloudy jewel hung from neck, and disappeared down the mountainside.


	28. Reunions

"To be frank, I have no problem with you two staying in here forever if that's what you so desire." Zidane had a hard time hiding the malice he was feeling for the two goons. 

"I'm sure we'll have good company with the rest of us you've locked away here! Almost got the full collection?" 

"Cute, but no, you're mistaken. Any and all Pelops members we've caught these past few years are no longer behind bars. Children have been reunited with family members or adopted into new ones while adult members are working off their crimes by being monitored members of society. Most of which were hardly in the your group for long before being abandoned, so their sentences are fairly low key. Yours however, will be a tad more severe if you don't start speaking up. You're abandonnes now, your boss isn't coming for you."

"Heh, that's what you think!" One replied. "She'll bust us out of here in no time!"

"Hmm, so it _is_ a she. Good to know." The one that spoke shut his mouth sheepishly as the other glared at him. "And bust you out? Sound intense. Would that be done any chance by moving some, oh, I don't know, roots? Maybe an Eidolon is more her speed? Maybe both? I'd _love_ to know your opinion!" They both froze up. Zidane smirked at their cold sweat. "In any case, you're wrong. You're not useful anymore and she's moved on. All I see before me are two henchmen who messed up and she gave up. You were good as nabbing kids it seems, but as we kept finding them, she moved away from such things. But you two couldn't resist trying it one more time, hmm? **Disgusting.** "

Zidane took a moment to cool his anger before continuing. "However, unlike you and your boss, I won't torture you nor will I starve you. The very idea of stooping to your level is completely against my nature. So get comfy, because unless you get the urge to be chatty, i'm finished wasting my time." Zidane turned away from the cell, leaving it behind and several guards taking his place. He found himself grinding his teeth in irritation as he ascended the stairs, but Dagger's sudden appearance at the top of them had him smile instead. 

"No luck, i'm assuming?" She matched his smile.

"Not yet. We'll see how long it takes for them to talk, but I think we have a better option anyways."

Dagger intertwined her arm with his as they walked. "I'm guessing you're referring to Holly?"

"I am. After this breather period is over, I intend to invite her here and see what she can tell us. However, I want her to get reacquainted with her family. According to Ferrington's report, she's very quick to anger, but who wouldn't be after everything? Where has she been, what has she experienced? She was fixated on the Corals so if anyone can help her into a normal life after twice a kidnapping, it's them."

"I just pray that this ends soon. If there is an Eidolon involved and Ramuh's words are to be believed, we must do everything in our power to prevent more tragedies. I believe patrolling the other continents and their roots may need to be added to our current efforts."

"It wouldn't hurt. I'll ask Eiko about it next meeting. She's been mentioning about dedicating some time to researching lost Eidolons as well, so maybe she can put both of those together somehow."

"I'm sure she can figure it out. But for now, those are thoughts for later. Am I to understand you're trying to skip out on this 'breather'? That won't do, Zidane! We need breaks too!"

"I have a lot of work to do-"

"Then i'll help you do it tomorrow! Now hurry, Tucker's royal fencing lesson is starting! Let's do something the three of us once it's over!" Zidane relented against his wife's grip with a laugh and let himself be led to where his son was. He decided to put his worries to the back of his mind for a small while. 

******

Keahi stirred awake when a continual noise he was unfamiliar with kept sounding. It sounded like a bird, a large one, was nearby and squawking every so often, just enough to continually break into his dreams. He rolled out of bed and opened his window will full intent of scaring it off, only to see a chocobo staring back at him from the first floor. It was wedged where the trashcans usually were, with them moved over to the side. It acknowledged his visit and gave Keahi another squawk. He shut his window and decided it would be best to just ask his mother why there was a chocobo in their excuse for a backyard and left his room. 

"Mooom, why is there a chocobo behind the house?" He finished with a yawn as he descended the stairs.

"It belongs to your sister." Amarant answered him. Keahi broke out of his morning daze and looked to the table in shock. His father was sitting at the table reading the newspaper. 

" _ **DAD!?**_ "

"'Morning, Keahi."

"You're back!?"

"Yeah."

"-And that means!?"

"I found Holly."cKeahi just about tackled Amarant into a hug in reply. Surprised by the suddenness of it and at his son's strength, Amarant held back a cough and lightly embraced Keahi back. "Easy on your old man, you're gonna break a bone if you hug me any tighter."

"I knew you could find her, I just knew it! Is she upstairs?" Keahi ended the embrace. 

"Resting, yeah. She had a run in with some Pelops thugs yesterday and it apparently wasn't too pretty. She's fine now, Freya's kids helped her, so make sure you thank them next time you see them."

" _Ferrington_ helped? I can see Faye helping her, but _Ferrington?_ "

"Keahi, Holly would probably be dead right now if it weren't for him. Faye healed her, but Ferrington kept her calm as Faye was making her way to them. I know your relationship with him has been rocky in the past, but try to look past it."

"...It was really that bad?"

"There's a nasty scar where she was struck. Nothing vital hit, but a deep cut nonetheless. It's quite possible they she may have bled out if not for Ferrington talking her through the pain."

"...Alright, i'll be sure to thank them the next time we're at school." 

"I see your height isn't the only thing that's grown. You've matured quite a bit too. I'm sorry for leaving you and your mother for so long."

"Dad, it's fine. You're here now. You can make it up to me later."

"Alright, think of something and take me up on it later."

"Speaking of mom, where is she?"

"She wasn't prepared to be feeding two more mouths than usual and did an emergency grocery run. It's been awhile now so she should be back soon."

"Did she count the chocobo?"

"There's enough food for it in Holly's bag." Amarant pointed to the stuffed bag in the corner of the room. "Go ahead and feed it if you'd like."

"Where'd she get a chocobo?" Keahi opened the bag. " **Where'd she get all this gil!?** "

"Questions for later."

"Yeah, I guess so!" Keahi grabbed a few gysahl greens, still in awe of the sack of gil. He went to the back door and opened it, Fira lifting it's head to his arrival. Keahi waved the gysahl greens and Fira excitedly got up, quickly snatching them from his hands. "Woah, try not to take my hands off too!" Fira replied with a squawk followed by affectionately bumping his head into Keahi's chest. "Oh, you're sorry I guess? Well, it's alright." Keahi ruffled Fira's feathers and the chocobo shook with delight. 

"I'm back!" Lani's voice reached the back of the house. Keahi gave Fira one more pat before returning inside, Fira returning itself to it's previous resting area. "You're up, Keahi! I thought i'd have to drag you out like usual! Help me with breakfast?"

"Hold on, gotta wash my hands, was petting the chocobo."

"Good to know it's friendly."

"It gave me no resistance last night when I placed it back there. It's staying there loyally too." Amarant glanced to the window.

"I wonder what its name is?" Keahi peeked out the window at it.

"...His name is Fira." A small voice came from the stairway and Holly tentatively descended down the steps. "And he doesn't actually belong to me." There was a moment of silence between the four. While Holly shyly tried to make eye contact with each of them, she kept her left eye shut in place of her missing eyepatch. The Coral family was more shock at hearing her speak, none of her grunts or her one crying episode prepared them for the feeling a full sentence out of her mouth brought. 

"You can talk!" Keahi broke the silence. 

"Um, yes. It took awhile but I finally got my voice back. I could tell you about it... Along with everything else...?" Holly tried to hide the fear shaking her. She was here, she was finally back, but so much about it scared her. How did she even get here? Was she welcome here anymore? She even thought that maybe she was dead.

"Holly...!" Lani moved away from the kitchen and pulled Holly into an embrace. "Everything is alright now. Don't be afraid. Your family is here for you."

"My... Family?"

"Slow down, Lani. I think the kid is confused." Amarant insisted.

"O-oh, sorry Holly, got a little ahead of myself. Let's all sit down and chat. I think we all have a lot to talk about."

Holly nodded and everyone joined Amarant at the table. He noticed Holly's perpetualy closed left eye and left the table for a moment, going to her bag and then returning with the eyepatch. "Oh, t-thank you..." She took it from him. 

"The rest of your outfit is half destroyed. Not really sure what you want to do with it."

"I'll figure it out later, it also really didn't belong to me, so i'll have to send an apology to it's owner along with Fira." Holly fastened the eyepatch around her head and tried to meet Keahi and Lani's worried faces with one of confidence. "So, i'm willing to start wherever you wish, but, i'd like so say something first, if that's alright..."

"Go right ahead, take all the time you need." Lani replied. 

Holly felt a lump in her throat. They were all just as kind as two years ago. She didn't hallucinate her peaceful days here. The guilt of allowing Pelops affect them weighed heavy on her as she started. "I wanted... To thank you. For being patient with me and being kind to me those few years ago. I was confused, angry, and I not only lashed out at you with magic, but, allowing myself to stay with you got you involved in Pelops, and i'm truly, very sorry for that. I should have left once I figured out that you weren't my enemy, but, I just couldn't find myself wandering again once I had attached myself to you. Whether it was fear or something else, _it was no excuse for using you like I did, and i'm sorry-!_ " Holly hastily wiped away the tears she had promised herself not to shed. "A-and once i've made it up to you, I promise to leave and-"

" **Stop.** " Lani got up from her chair and embraced Holly again. "Keahi, go to the desk and fish out the papers, you know which ones i'm talking about." Keahi quickly obeyed and returned with the papers in question, sliding it into Holly's view. "Dry your tears, it's alright, we're not angry with you. Can you read this?" Lani brushed away a tear and then brought Holly's gaze down to the table. Holly blinked a few times to get her focus back and read it aloud. 

"C-Certificate of Adoption...? 'Holly Coral has been formally adopted into the Coral Family by-" The realization hit her and more tears began to flow.

"Amarant Coral, that him over there." Lani continued, pointing to Amarant. "And Lani Coral, that's me. The boy across from you is Keahi Coral. He's your brother and we're your parents. Holly, after we found you, you weren't the only one who got attached. You weren't using us, you were part of our family." 

" _But, I-I- don't deserve...!_ "

"Holly, it's alright." Lani stroked her hair. "We've waited a long time to see you again. Nothing that group made you do or anything that's happened while you were gone these past two years will change the fact that you're one of us."

Something in Holly broke and everything she had been bottling up was set free. She found herself weeping uncontrollably into Lani's embrace. Family? Her family? Everything she had planned had just disappeared from her mind. No more taking off after apologizing, no more wondering what she was to do with herself afterwards. Had she been so blind that she thought she was just tolerated? She felt a deep shame different from what she was carrying before. It was for not realizing that these people cared about her, that she had written them off as nothing more than people who helped her out of obligation. No, she knew all along, she wanted to believe that they had really been something akin to a family, but a part of her refused to acknowledge this. But no more, this place was no longer a pleasant memory, but her home. Holly soon cried herself out and Lani pulled away from her, giving Holly's very red face a kiss on her forehead before moving over to the kitchen.

"I'm going to get breakfast ready, I think that you're skinnier than the last time you were here!"

"In the meantime," Amarant took the conversation over. "Why don't you tell me where you've been. I've spent the last couple years finding every Pelops kid except you. Again, take your time."

Holly took a few breaths to calm herself. As soon as she had collected herself, she began. "I'd like to ask first, was I the only one taken that day?"

"Yeah, just you."

"Good..." She sighed in relief. "It's always been in the back of my mind that I caused more abductions. I'm happy that it wasn't true. I recognized the Burmecian siblings just before I blacked out. Are they alright? Were those men caught?"

"Yes on both accounts. We're going to have a talk on recklessness later, but now isn't the time. The men that were caught are being held elsewhere and are being questioned."

"I highly doubt they'll talk..." Holly remembered their positions but looked to Amarant with resolve. "But I will. I'll start at the beginning of when I was first taken." A small grimace passed her face as she tried to access the memories she buried, but she began regardless. "I don't have many memories before my abduction to be honest. There are vague things, but my first clear memory was being pursued by the same men that were recently caught. They found me wandering the plains alone, and I was easily scooped up. I feared for my life, waited for whatever was in store, but I was soon met by a kind faced woman adorned in beautiful clothes. Compared to my kidnappers, she was like an angel. She treated me kindly, taught be how to use magic, and went out of her way to make me comfortable. However, she used the trust she had gained with me to start using me for operations, which I blindly did in order to gain more affection. I even gladly let her carve the symbol on me, I thought it was cool that we 'matched'."

Holly sighed, pausing before she continued. "Eventually, I wasn't performing as well as she wanted. I've never been able to fully master Fire and Thunder magic, because they have always scared me. Fire is destructive is highly uncontrollable while Thunder is loud and hard to pinpoint properly. This frustrated her, she began demanding results I couldn't provide, and like every other child before me, I was phased out as the favourite. I became one of many Pelops job fodder, where our hands our bound and eyes blindfolded, only to be removed to eat meals or when you're placed on a job. I tired of this quickly. Betrayal, fatigue, and whatever else boiled over one day, and I used the magic I was too afraid to cast while being placed on a job. The mix of their shock and the damage I did to them was enough time to get away."

"Where were you when this happened?" Amarant asked.

"...I don't know what city I was in, but I remember taking to the roofs as I knew the alleys would make me easy to catch. I didn't know how many members they sent out to try and catch me, but the streets were busy, making them blend in. When I stopped to catch my breath, it was short lived as I heard a voice call out to me, and without even stopping to check if it was friend or foe, I let my magic go haywire, and I fled the scene, hiding on an airship that flew it's way to Lindblum. I was found soon after by you."

"And you thought that we were part of the group." Amarant confirmed. 

"Yes, and i'm sorry for that."

"Don't apologize, it was the rational conclusion after what you'd experienced. You've given me a good look into how this woman ran the group. Do you remember the man with the tail who was here when Keahi convinced you?"

"A little bit?"

"He's in charge of taking down Pelops, I work for him, and he's also adopted an ex-member." 

"Really!? The group is being taken down!?"

"Slowly but surely. I was told recently told recently that the men we just brought in were important to the group so that should help a bit."

"They were almost always by her side. I'm having a hard time remembering where they weren't."

"So, I guess she's the last one you need to catch?" Keahi asked.

"Probably. Holly and Ferrington managed to catch the idiots in the process of a kidnapping, something they stopped doing since we started hunting them, and it was an obvious last ditch effort. Once we get her, it should finally end."

The conversation continued on with Lani's busy cooking in the background. Holly detailed her time in Treno, from her arrival, to the loss of her eye, the battle with the Behemoth, and finally to the situation that kept her from the public eye. "That's probably why you couldn't find me. I was under the duke's thumb and not permitted to leave the guardhouse. I did once and I thought he was going to kill me with how angry he was."

"A lot of nobles are petty and judgemental. I know exactly who he is. He's currently being held by Alexandria awaiting judgement. Meaning, you're the girl who ran off before Beatrix came to collect you. You could have just stayed put a day or so longer and you would've been home sooner." 

"...Whoops?" Holly sheepishly replied and Amarant sighed in irritation. 

"Wait a second," Keahi interjected. " **You're** the girl I threw the match for in Treno?"

"I had a feeling you did, there was no way I was winning in that situation."

" **Why didn't you say anything!?** "

Holly was taken aback by his anger, but answered clear and concisely. "Because if the duke found out I had connections, family or not, he would have passed the debt onto you. I had no idea of who all of you were in relation to everything that has been going on, but I refused to let others get involved with my burden. Unfair it may have been, but the amount of gil was more than I was willing to to drop on somebody." She paused and glanced to Amarant before continuing. "Besides, D-Dad just said that nobles are petty, and Duke Zaldun was probably the worst of them all. If I had known that our interaction would lead to my freedom, then I would have gladly revealed myself, but I had no way of knowing, all I had was my gratitude."

Holly wrinkled her brow at Keahi's fleeing anger. "But, how did you know about what was going on? Why did you throw the match?"

"Your loudmouthed friend told me the details and begged me to. After the loss I told the details to someone who I knew would act and get you free. I didn't really need the gil anyways."

"Oh, Cornelia..." Holly felt her tears returning.

"Yeah, that's the one. Awfully attached to you. "

"She's the captain's daughter and she was a good friend to me during my time there. Protecting me from the Duke's outbursts, helping me to speak properly again, I was even able to remember my name because of her. Her nickname is 'Cory' and when I mentioned that I thought my name sounded similar, she drilled me on every similar sounding name until I recalled it. Also, Fira was her prize in the tournament and she lent him to me so I could travel back to Lindblum."

"She sounds like a good friend." Lani added from the kitchen. "We should invite her over once things settle down."

"I guess that explains the gil in your bag. A mix of the winnings and whatever you had earned in the guardhouse. You didn't end up having to give the Duke one thin coin."

"Yeah, and if it's alright, i'd like Keahi to have the winnings. I didn't really 'win' and they should belong to him. Also-" Holly quickly got up, rooted through her bag, and then hurried back once she found what she wanted. "This was also given to me. I don't actually have a Tetra Master deck, mine was one Cory made for me and I gave it back after."

She passed Keahi a card and he took it. A smile crossed his lips as he realized what it was. The tournament exclusive Blue Oglop card. "You know, I only really entered to try and win one of these, wanted one for a long time. So, you keep the money."

"I don't feel right keeping it, please take it, I don't need it."

"Well I don't either!"

"Keahi-"

"No, Holly-"

" **Enough.** " Amarant stopped the feud. "How about I put it into both of your savings and you figure out what to do with it later? Fighting about it now isn't going to solve anything." 

Lani laughed as she began placing the plates of breakfast down on the table. "If you two are already fighting then I guess things are going to get a lot more lively around here faster than I thought!"

"...Great." Amarant grumbled causing Lani to laugh more and the siblings mumbled sorrys into their plates.


	29. Favours

Rose wiped the sweat from her brow as a much needed sea breeze tickled her face. Evenings in Alexandria's port were quiet, relaxing, and under Rose's jurisdiction. When she had found out that only one guard was needed to overlook the mostly vacant port as night fell, Rose excitedly asked for it to be her job. Here she could not only do her daily duties, but as she was almost always alone, she could practice without any judging eyes and vent her frustrations into the open sea. She was positive no one knew of this as the shifts were only a few hours until a new guard took over. To her, it was a blissful escape until she was thrown back into whatever else her parents had prepared for her or accompanying the Prince to wherever. Admittedly, Rose minded neither of these things, but having a few hours to herself allowed her to recharge for the next wave of responsibilities.

She now found herself at the end of the patrol. Everything checked and all areas secured. Rose always ended the last bit of her quiet time with uninterrupted training on the more difficult Sword Arts she had trouble mastering. She could direct them to sea, that way the only thing she could possibly injure if things went south, was the odd fish. Rose let out a nervous breath as she held the Ragnarok aloft. A gift from her prestigious father, for being proud of her progress and hoping for great things in the future. The weight of the blade mixed poorly with the weight of responsibility she felt heavily on her shoulders. Rose saw the expression her face wearing in the reflection of the blade. What she thought was determination was instead uncertainty. Her mind flooded with intrusive thoughts about her knightly pedigree, the future, and the past she still let haunt her. A quick memory of the steeple tried to take over before Rose forcibly put it out of her mind. 

"That's enough of that...!" She murmured and got into her battle stance. "No matter what, you're you. Rose Steiner, Prince Tucker's Knight, and you alone decided on this path."

Shock was not an ability to be trifled with. It took concentration and the user's ability to direct it at their target depended on their will to do so. It was powerful, insomuch Rose found herself at odds with the ability. She would charge it up to the desired amount, but when the thought of actually using it came next, she would lose it, the power fading from her. While she believed it was just her inability to focus, she knew the real reason why she couldn't loose it. If she mastered it, it meant that she may have to use it someday. Arts such as Power and Armor Break were meant to weaken enemies into eventual submission, but Shock was almost always followed by death or near to it. She was not her mother who had felled many, or her father who fought to protect the world she lived in. She couldn't imagine a time where she would have to shed blood, and if a time like that ever came, she was afraid of what she could be capable of. However, she had resolved to protect Tucker, just as he did for her. If she needed to spill blood of one who threatened him, she was sure of her determination. She held the Ragnorok aloft again and began gathering power.

"-Of all the places to talk, why here?" A sudden voice shattered her resolve and Rose frantically searched for it's owner. She saw her king and Amarant Coral exit from the Neptune Statue area and continue their conversation.

"Well, my room is a _mess_ and the port is hardly populated. You wanted to talk privately and this is as good as we can get."

Rose quickly ducked down behind a pile of crates, out of embarrassment or fear, she didn't know. She did know that what she was doing would get her in an extreme amount of trouble, so she stayed still and prayed not to be spotted.

"Nobody patrols this area?"

"There is one guard around here at all times but they're probably in the tunnel or inspecting the boats. If we happen to run into them, then i'll send them on their way. Now, what's going on, Amarant? I was going to invite Holly here next time Keahi made a visit but you just popped outta nowhere! Did I not tell Eiko to convey that everyone was to await further instruction? It's been three days since what happened in Burmecia. Maybe spend a little bit more time with your family before jumping back into things."

"I'm not jumping back into things. Keahi has school, Lani has work, and Holly is either with her or me. She's with Lani today because I need to talk to you about something involving her that I'm not sure how to approach. It's something I figured out and you need to know about it."

"...Okay? What is it?"

Amarant found it hard to face Zidane, wondering if it'd be best if he just kept his realization to himself, but he didn't come here to brush it off. "Holly is the cause of the steeple incident."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. She told us everything from her kidnapping to her escape and more. At one point, she was on the roofs of a city and she let her magic get out of control while fleeing."

"That doesn't mean-"

"Zidane, listen. She has powerful magic at her disposal, but she's afraid to use it unless she's forced into a corner. She killed a Behemoth that Pelops forced her into a cage with. From her description, it was probably a Trance heightened spell, but regardless, she killed it. The noble it belonged to wasn't happy and had been keeping her hostage in Treno for the past few years. If she can kill it, she can easily cause a steeple to burn down. The timing adds up too. She fled after causing it and ended up in Lindblum where we found her. You showed up after and filled us in on the incident. Her memories are hazy all around, but she's just recently been to Burmecia for the first time, there was no explosion in Treno that we know of, and Lindblum was where she was with us. Did I miss any city on the continent or are you going to fight me about this?"

Rose felt a cold sweat take her over. She had heard of this girl from her mother after rescuing her. The strength she was hiding intrigued her, but now her ears burned learning it was that very strength that almost killed her. Zidane's exasperated sigh brought her focus back to them. "And have you informed her of this? Does she know what she's done?"

"All i've mentioned is that Tucker was also in the group, but lost his memories due to an accident. Nothing more."

"Good. Keep it that way. While i'm thankful that the mystery may pretty much be solved, we're keeping this to ourselves. I understand why you told me, but a part of me wishes you didn't."

"I didn't think it would be a good idea to hide it. They might figure it out one day and who knows how they'll take it, but I think dropping it on Holly now would only further the 'guilt' she feels, making her recovery reach a standstill."

"Guilt? Over what?"

"It's a dumb idea she's gotten into her head. She takes everything that's ever happened to her and twists it in her head until she believes it's her fault. It's gonna take a long time for her to get past it. She was planning on taking off after 'thanking us for being patient with her' and 'paying us back for the trouble she caused'. Lani put a stop to that immediately, but I can still see the hesitation in her eyes, no matter how much Lani smothers her or how happy Keahi is to have her around."

Zidane looked out to sea letting another sigh out. "You know, I really thought that after everything, Gaia could just be this peaceful planet without any more worries. When I finally made it back, it seemed like it would be just that. We get twelve quiet years of nothing besides petty crimes here and there. And then being drunk on the bliss that peace brings, I unwittingly turned a blind eye to a group of individuals who've been torturing kids and messing with the very foundation our planet needs to keep itself together. The entirety of our journey; the war, Terra, Kuja, was gone in moments. Everything was done in less than a year, and I guess the idea that we got it done made me believe that everything was going to be fine from then on. But no, Tucker loses his memory, Rose loses her friend, Holly loses her freedom, and Keahi loses his sister. All because I was too 'busy' and believing in a lie. It's sure as hell not her fault, Amarant, it's mine."

"No, it's **ours**. Everyone dances around us like we're some big heroes, but we left everything once we thought it was over. It wasn't, but none of us bothered to worry, Kuja was dead, the Iifa Tree went silent. We all settled down and kept everything the way we left it, until two years ago when we finally woke up from that perfect dream. We've been played and the generation that the eight of us went to hell and back for are now paying the price. So are you going to keep feeling sorry for yourself or are you going to keep taking action?"

"You know the answer to that." Zidane glared.

"Then use your frustration to finally catch the damned shrew. Here-" Amarant took an envelope from his pocket. "Everything Holly told me. Look it over then contact me when you're done wallowing in self pity."

"Never one to mince words..." Rose heard the sound of their footsteps leaving and then the flushing of the Neptune Statue following, left with only the pounding of her heart resonating through her body. She didn't know to be angry or hurt, but what she had just overheard made her ill. She hesitantly left the port, wishing to forget and cursing herself for listening. 

******

A few weeks passed and for this short while, things were pretended to be back to sense of normalcy. Everyone went on with whatever they were doing before and all secretly, anxiously awaited for the next move they or their enemy would make. While Amarant had only returned to work for the purpose of keeping his mind and hands busy, Cinna's presence there was a constant reminder that they'd soon be going back to a hunt. Amarant eventually tired of trying to work, deciding the quiet of his home would be more welcoming. He didn't expect to find Holly inside when he returned. She looked up from her reading just as surprised to see him.

"Oh, welcome back."

"What are you doing home? Aren't you supposed to be at shop with your mother?"

"The shop got really busy today and I was in the way, so I had to leave. I'm alright by myself."

"I don't doubt that, but you know why we don't want you alone."

"I know... Keahi is supposed to be home soon so..." 

"It's fine. Have you eaten?"

"Yeah, i'm good til dinner." Holly flipped a page and Amarant looked to the book she held. He found himself stopping an eyeroll when he saw the word 'Memoria' on its binding. Keahi had practically thrown his copy at Holly when they found she was completely in the dark about the events that had become common knowledge. "...Is it alright if I ask you a question?" Holly looked up from the pages.

"Shoot."

"Why am I called Holly? I can't really remember if it was my name before well, everything."

"Lani named you. Remember when you fell off the fence after I scared you? It was a holly bush you fell into. She thought it was a good name and it stuck."

"...Really?"

"Yeah, don't like it?"

"No, it's just-" Holly tried to hide her giggles behind her book. "Not what I expected?" A few more snickers left her while Amarant looked at her shaking figure. This was the closest to seeing her smile he had seen so far. Holly lowered the book revealing a small smirk as she glanced towards the window. "It does call back to what I think as fond memory now, so thank you, I think it suits me well."

"The bush still has a dent in it."

"Oh geez, should I go apologize? It's been awhile but-"

"The neighbours have never mentioned anything about it and neither will we."< Amarant's remark accompanied by a smirk of his own sent Holly into another giggle fit, but a knock at the door ended the moment. He knew exactly who it was by the familiar sound and opened the door tentatively. 

"Good, you're home." Eiko let herself in while Amarant held back a sigh. "There's some stuff we have to discuss and I also need a favour." Eiko's gaze went to Holly and the latter gave her a nod. "You're here too! How are you today, Holly?"

"I'm fine, how are you?"

"I'm doing fine myself, but i'll be doing even better if a certain favour can be fulfilled~" Eiko grinned at Amarant. 

"What do you want?"

"Well, first things first, when Zidane does give the go ahead for the hunt to resume, I can unfortunately not accompany you and Freya any longer. The reason being that one; i've missed a lot of schooling and Father has bid me to cram everything so that I can graduate... So I can begin my further education in preparation to become the _eventual_ Regent of Lindblum. My mind is so full of everything right now, I took five tests today, grades pending!"

"That's why it's been so quiet lately."

" _Hilarious_."

"And? This leads into your favour?"

"Yep. See, I recieved a bit of a distressing letter from Mr. 555." 

" _Who?_ "

"He's one of the children Genomes. He's been in charge of Bobby Corwen in the mage's absence and said chocobo acting strange. There seems to be nothing wrong with him, but he's become restless and won't eat anything. I don't exactly have the time right now to go all the way to the village to figure out what's wrong, then come all the way back here to get the solution, AND THEN go back again! One of my tutors mentioned that sometimes chocobos will act like Bobby Corwen when they're seeking either 'companionship' or-" Eiko paused before continuing. "...They're trying to leave their home behind in search of a place to pass. I'm going to try and keep positive and hope it's the first reason. So I thought, who has a chocobo? Zidane does! I use my lunch break to quickly zip over there to see if I can borrow Choco and send someone along, but surprise! Zidane isn't there!"

"He isn't? Since when does he ever leave the castle these days?"

"Right? Dagger said he got an urgent letter himself and ran off saying he'd 'be back soon'. So, Dagger is understandably upset and I returned chocoboless. But, I do know that a certain little girl happens to have a fiery-red chocobo companion!" Eiko moved the conversation to Holly. 

"H-huh!?"

" **No.** " Amarant objected. 

"Oh come on! All I need is you to do is take the chocobo to the village and then monitor things for a bit! Please? I have to study and I can't just ignore this! The Eiko Garde I and it's crew are all yours until it's done!"

"Um, Fira isn't really my chocobo. I was borrowing him and he's since gone back to his home." Holly wavered.

"But you can call him, right?" 

" **Eiko** , did I stutter?" Amarant stared her down.

"I don't see what the big deal is!"

"Wow, it's noisy in here." Keahi recoiled at the sight of Eiko upon opening the door to his house.

"Keahi-!" Eiko playfully embraced Keahi and he tried in vain to push her off. "I haven't seen you in ages!"

" **You _just_ saw me last week! Get off!** "

"Don't be so cold~ what happened to the cute little boy who used to follow me around everywhere?"

" **I will punch you if you don't let me go.** " Eiko laughed and released Keahi at the sound of him cracking his knuckles. "What are you even doing here? Last I heard was you're aiming to graduate this year along with Faye and Ferrington."

"I'm trying to borrow Holly's chocobo."

"He's not- oh forget it!" Holly angrily shut her book and then moved to the back window which she opened. "Cover your ears!" She commanded and then let out the whistle she has used to call him before. She turned back to the trio covering their ears in shock. 

"Yeesh, that was loud!" Eiko rubbed one of her ears. 

"Good, it means he might have heard it. If he does answer i'll send him back to his owner with a letter and see if she's ok with you borrowing him. Does it have to be my dad who takes him?"

"Yes and no? There are a very select few who are allowed into Black Mage village, myself and Amarant being part of those said few. He's really the only one who isn't tied to duties that demand his presence."

"Which is why she makes a habit of bugging me for everything under the moons." Amarant added. 

Fira's distinct chirp sounded and a familiar chocobo soon showed up outside the Coral residence. Holly met him with gysahl greens and quickly penned a letter before sending him back to Cornelia. "He should be back soon? I'm honestly surprised he arrived so quickly."

"I would be too if we didn't suffer through all of Zidane's chocobo treasure hunting shenanigans back in the day." Eiko watched Fira disappear down a Lindblum street. Holly gave Eiko a quizzical look but she saw that both Eiko and her dad were sharing a look of nostalgia. "Well, i'd love to wait around, but I have to get back to the castle and study. I have another pile of tests to do tomorrow and i'd better get back to not failing them. If you're given the go ahead then please come to the airship dock in the morning."

"Not giving me a choice doesn't mean I agreed to do it." Amarant grumbled. 

"I appreciate your willingness to help~" Eiko half teased as she left the house behind.


	30. Pasts

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called Fira..."

Amarant thought he had been hiding his irritation well, but the fact that Holly was practically hiding behind Fira told him otherwise. "Holly, i'm not upset with you. I'm just irritated that Eiko is pushing her problems on me and you got dragged into it. When we get to land, you stay on Fira and don't leave my side, got it?"

"Okay..." The hull of the Eiko Garde I gently shook as silence fell. Cornelia had allowed the use of her chocobo with the condition that Holly was with him at all times, not wanting any harm to come to him. While this had made Amarant more against the favour, Lani told him there was no harm in a day trip to the village and he could maybe use it to bond with Holly. There was no fighting with her once she decided on something, so Amarant begrudgingly, once again let Eiko overly involve herself in everything he did, her ideas or not.

"We're almost there!" Nini's voice called out to them from the speaker. "Approximately five minutes until landing!"

 _'Right, he's here too'_ Amarant remembered that he'd have to be babysitting him as well. Nini wasn't nearly as powerful as his 'father' and spent all his time on the airship during the investigation of the Iifa Tree roots. He hadn't visited his hometown in some time and Eiko pushed him on Amarant last second as they were already heading there. However, Nini fit right in with the crew of the Eiko Garde I and having him along was hardly a change from the past few years. Amarant just had to make sure he was safe to and from the village. They were soon on land at the lip of the forest and if they were lucky, no monsters would pay them any mind. Still, Nini's lack of combat experience was sure to be an issue if anything decided to show up. Amarant looked to Fira's saddle and saw there was enough room for another, smaller, passenger. 

"Holly, move to the back of the saddle." She did so and Amarant quickly scooped up Nini and placed him in front of Holly.

"Woah-! Mr. Coral, give me a warning, would you?"

"Sorry kid, just giving myself some peace of mind." 

Fira noticed the extra weight and looked back. Nini gave him a greeting which Fira returned with an affectionate nuzzle and with that, they made their way through the forest. Fortunately, no monster had attempted anything by the time they reached the barrier. "It's been so long..." Nini remiensicied while Holly stared in awe as the barrier rippled from more forest to a quaint village. A few Gnomes at the entrance raised their eyebrows at their arrival. 

"More guests?" One observed. 

"Welcome back Nini." Another added.

"More? Who else is here?" Nini asked.

"Amarant?" Zidane appeared from the path to the cemetery giving Amarant a questioning look. "What are you doing here?"

"This is where you are? I got voluntold by Eiko to check on the resident chocobo because she couldn't get in touch with you."

"Still being invasive as ever I see. Sorry about that, I had to run so she probably just missed me."

Fira sat himself down and Holly slid off, helping Nini get off the saddle afterwards. "I'll excuse myself here, where is Bobby Corwen?" Holly asked.

"I'll take you to him, follow me." Nini motioned towards the stable path and they disappeared down it with Fira in tow. 

"Please tell me that eyepatch is is just for show." Zidane grimmanced.

"It's not. They took her eye just like they took Tucker's hand. One last ditch effort to try and scare her back into the group, but we both know how it ended." Zidane made a noise of disgust, shaking his head. "What made you drop everything and fly over here? Do you have a new lead?" Amarant quickly moved the subject at hand back. 

"No, it's kinda more of a family thing? Do you recall my 'sister', Mikoto?"

" _Vaguely_." 

"Regardless, she's been, well, missing for the past few years. I didn't have the manpower or time to dedicate to her wanderlust and the Pelops situation. All the Genomes told me that she would on occasion show up and then disappear again, that this is just a thing she does, but I can't help but worry. So imagine my surprise when I receive a special mognet delivery asking me to come here immediately, sender; Mikoto. The thing is, **_She's not here_**. I had the Red Rose drop me off yesterday, telling them to pick me up by nightfall today, but it's already been a day and i'm almost out of patience."

"With all your duties, I didn't expect you to respond so quickly." Mikoto's voice came from behind them and she soon appeared in the village's entrance. "I apologize, my airship broke down and I made my way here on foot."

Zidane was taken aback by Mikoto's appearance. She had grown her hair out to her shoulders and was wearing something very akin to a airship pilot uniform. "Wow, uh, I have a lot of questions."

"You're free to ask them, but not here. I have much to discuss with you, but it will be difficult to fully grasp the situation unless you witness it for yourself. Come with me to the Iifa Tree." She turned on her heels and started walking away briskly.

"Situation? Mikoto, wait a second!" She stopped and looked back. "Do you have any idea how worried i've been!? You've always been the eccentric type, but you can't just show up out of the blue and then demand I go somewhere with you! At least answer me as to what you've been doing all this time."

"I made some 'friends'. You told me to, remember? Said friends have been helping me figure out the issues Gaia's very existence is struggling with. If you wish to know more, come to the Iifa Tree." Mikoto continued her stride and was soon out of sight.

"Honestly, what is her deal!? Well, I guess i'm doing this now!" Zidane grumbled. "I'll see you later, Amarant."

"Wait, i'm going with you. That was too ominous for my tastes."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. I'll admit i'm a bit spooked too. Go let Holly and Nini know. Should I get a head start for Conde Petie?"

"No, we'll take the airship. Just go wait on the bridge." 

"Got it." Zidane nodded and headed off. Amarant went up the path to the stable to see Holly exiting it as he approached. 

"Is something wrong?" Holly asked.

"Hopefully it's nothing, but I need to go somewhere for a bit. Can you stay here with Nini until I get back?"

"Sure, he wanted to show me around anyways."

"I'll try to be back by nightfall." Holly gave him a nod and watched him leave, soon returning into the stable to check on the two chocobos. Fira was urging Bobby Corwen to eat, pushing his head into the yellow chocobo's until it reached the gysahl greens that had been laid out for him. Bobby Corwen seemed against even picking at them, but to appease his younger guest, he ate one and then pushed the second to Fira, as if to share.

"He finally ate something...!" Mr. 555 gasped. 

"Maybe everything will be okay after all!" Nini patted him on the back. 

"I owe you a great debt." Mr. 555 turned to Holly. "Thank you."

"I hardly did anything, Fira is the one who deserves thanks!"

"I suppose you're right in a sense. Thank you too, Fira." He pat the red chocobo and it responded with a happy chirp. "I'll keep an eye on them both, you may proceed with your reason for coming here, Nini."

"Right! Holly, would you mind coming with me? I could use a little help."

"Cornelia did want me to stay with Fira, but I doubt I could get him away from his new friend. Just come and find us if there's anything wrong."

"Of course." 

Nini led the way out of the stable and down the path back to the entrance. "I really appreciate what you did for both Bobby Corwen and Mr. 555. They're old friends of mine and when they're upset, it makes me upset too."

"Again, Fira did everything. You saw how he immediately took to Bobby Corwen."

"It doesn't matter who did what, you're here and you helped. I know Eiko can be a bit overbearing, especially with you just getting back and all, but this place means the world to me and she'll do anything she can to prevent more sorrow." He paused and looked to the sky. "...Have you read 'Memoria' yet?"

"I just finished it yesterday."

"Then you know what I am, right?"

"...A Black Mage?"

Nini had led Holly to the cemetery where a large part of it had been sectioned off, full of markers wearing hats similar to his. "The very last." He paused to look at the markers before moving past and down a path behind them. Holly flinched at the sadness in his voice, but continued to follow. The path led into further into the forest and was clearly not well traveled. Nini was kicking twigs and other debris out of the way while Holly had to duck when overgrown branches got in her way. They soon came to a clearing with a magnificent, lush flowerbed filled with an odd flower Holly didn't recognize. "Wow, i'm surprised they bloomed as much as they did. There's more than enough for everyone." Nini knelt down and started picking them, only stopping to look back at Holly. "My arms are too small to carry all the flowers that I need, could you pick what I can't?" 

"Oh, s-sure, how many do you need?"

"I'll tell you when to stop." The two of them picked the flowers with nothing but rustling leaves and the occasional hoot from an owl accompanying their quiet task. Holly found the smell of the flowers a bit overbearing and tried to hid an oncoming sneeze, only to do poorly and scare away any and all slumbering owls in the nearby branches. Nini bursted out laughing before she could apologize. "Right!? Aren't they super smelly? I'm used to them now, but it's still a little hard to stomach. I used to be dragged out to the Mountain Path with my brothers to gather them for my Dad's grave. But when Mikoto started disappearing for days at a time, once even coming home injured, one of my brothers, Kiki, decided to plant some seeds down here so none of us would be in danger anymore." Nini's arms were soon full and he turned to watch Holly pick the rest. "So, how are things going with the Corals? Are you settling in alright?"

"They're fine, and I think so? I'm not really sure if i'm going to ever fit in completely, but i'm thankful for their kindness. I feel undeserving but I also want to be with them. It's an odd feeling I just can't seem to get over."

"...I sort of understand how you feel." Nini cast his eyes skyward before continuing. "Not long after Kiki planted this flower bed, my brothers started to stop moving. We all knew it was coming, that our lives were limited and that we were lucky to have held on as long as we did, but it was still painful. I was eventually the only one left, and I waited and waited for my life to end, but it never happened. I was lost in grief and unable to think of anything but wanting to join them, when Eiko suddenly offered me a place with her. To live with her, go to school with her, no longer live a life of seclusion, but one of a normal kid. I couldn't deny that a part of me had secretly wished for that type of life, but I felt by leaving here i'd be abandoning my brothers and father. But, as you might've guessed, Eiko flat out refused my refusal, telling me that the last thing my father would want is for me to waste my remaining days crying over his grave. I was whisked off to Lindblum and began living my life anew. Cid and Hilda welcomed me with open arms while Eiko was almost always by my side. She even purposely held herself back in school so she could make sure we shared classes." 

He looked back to Holly with kind eyes. "I felt out of place, but I never felt unloved. I realized it really didn't matter if I fit in or not, I was happy some days and sad others, I still am! But what's important is you have a place to call home, and people who care about you are waiting for your return. I grew up with Keahi and I spent some time traveling with your father, and I can tell that Mr. Coral is in a much better mood since we found you while Eiko's told me how Keahi's gotten his energy back too. Just take your time, Holly. Nobody is going to get upset at your for finding your way." Nini stood up indicating Holly had enough flowers and then both started back up the path.

"Have you found yours yet? Your 'way'?"

"I guess not? I don't know why i've lived this long and why _me_ out of all of us. Kiki was kind to a fault, Gigi was extremely gifted in magic, all of us were good at something, but I was just the brat who liked catching oglops. Either way, i'm a defect, twice. I've never been used for my original purpose nor did I expire when expected. I'm living, for what, I can't say, but i'm here, and i'll continue to try and find my way, whether I'll figure it out in time, who knows? But I don't see it as something to stress over. You shouldn't either, okay?"

"...I'll try."

"That's a step in the right direction! If you want, we can try together! You can't _just_ hang out with Keahi, it's time to make more friends!" Holly laughed at the small mage's enthusiasm and agreed to have a proper playdate in Lindblum as they approached the cemetery again, arms full of flowers and hearts filled with warmth. 

******

"That must be her airship." Zidane spied a smaller vessel parked near the Mountain Path as they passed over it. Zidane looked back towards the path to see if he could spot Mikoto among the roots, but was unable to make her out. His eyes were involuntarily drawn to all the patches of colour scattered around the roots while continuing to look for her. "Flowers...? Amarant, i'm not going crazy am I? Were there patches of flowers on the Mountain Path before?"

"You're asking to wrong person to remember a detail of a landscape." Amarant turned towards the view of the Iifa Tree. "But I do remember that the Iifa Tree wasn't surrounded by greenery."

Zidane turned his head sharply, greeted by the scene Amarant mentioned. The area around the Iifa Tree was no longer dry and barren, but lush with life, surrounded by meadows with the same mystery flower sprinkled throughout. The tree itself looked similar to how he had left it, but it's colour was off. Zidane searched his mind as to when this may have happened. Since he had returned, he had always purposely taken a route around the Iifa Tree and never strayed far from the Black Mage Village on his rare visits. He had made Alexandria and the Mist continent his priority and once Pelops became an issue, giving the land he was partially ruling even more attention than normal. It was clear to him now that there was more responsibility in his future, whatever it was going to hold. They landed among the fields and immediately began taking in their surroundings. Zidane picked one of the flowers and twirled it between his fingers. 

"I recognize this flower. Vivi's kids used to place them on his grave. I didn't think anything about it then, just a flower, but looking at it now, they're incredibly unique. I don't think i've seen anything like this in any botany books or just out in the wild."

"Was botany a part of your king training?" Amarant mocked.

"You'd be surprised what Steiner rammed into my brain."

They both continued to investigate while waiting for Mikoto to make her appearance. Fortunately, her sudden voice ended their wait. "Odd, isn't it? Would you have believed me if I told you this place had become what it is now?"

"It depends, was it sudden or has it been a gradual thing?" Zidane answered. 

Mikoto crossed her arms and sighed, a wave of fatigue flashed over her face before her stature returned to it's stoic self. "Let me start at the beginning."


	31. Flowers

"March 10th, the day I believed both you and Kuja dead, I went into the Iifa Tree after your bodies. I didn't wish for your lives to to be cast away so flippantly, but I had no hope of finding you both alive as the tree raged. I eventually had to pull back, unable to continue with my own life also hanging in the balance. It was six days later that the Iifa Tree finally calmed and I was able to continue my search, but it was fruitless. No matter how deep I ventured, I found nothing but monsters and remains of Terran technology. It was... Frustrating."

"Mikoto, why have you never mentioned this before?" Zidane felt a twinge of guilt seeing her downcast eyes.

"Because one day when I returned, you were passed out next to Vivi's grave in the village! You couldn't be woken, and me being completely unaware as to how contacting others for help worked on this planet at the time, could do nothing! And then, you disappear from your bed, only for the eventual tale of how you reunited with Dagger graces my ears when the children returned from the play. You can be upset with me all you like, Zidane, but you are _equally infuriating._ I have had hardly any desire to speak to you since!"

"...I'm sorry Mikoto, I had no idea. It's alright, we're both here now, and we're both safe. I'm sorry for worrying you, i'm not upset anymore about, whatever you've been doing these past years. Can we agree to forgive each other?"

"I really have no choice, I need your help so I must put aside my petty anger. Gaia's existence is in danger, and while I thought I could eventually find the remedy myself, it's gone beyond my power."

"Continue explaining." Amarant prodded. "If it's so dire then get to the point."

Mikoto's glower towards Zidane faded as she thought back to her experiences, starting to tell her tale again. "...I continued to look for Kuja. Months passed as I continued to go deeper into the Iifa Tree in search for him. It became a routine. I would sneak onto the Mountain Path and make my way to the Iifa Tree and then returned empty handed. However, I noticed something strange one day on my return journey."

Mikoto stopped to kneel down and picked one of the flowers before continuing. "These organisms started appearing on the Mountain Path, they were invasive and were thriving off the nutrients found in the Iifa Tree roots. The children were enamoured by them, going so far as to having me take them to where I found the flowers so they could decorate Vivi's grave with them. I knew something was wrong, I needed to figure it out, so I began adding investigating the cause of the flowers amongst my search for Kuja. But one day-" Mikoto turned her body to the direction of her airship. "That airship was here at the Iifa Tree, parked close to it. I knew of your decree to all adventurers to not disturb the tree nor seek out the mages. I entered the ship in an attempt to deter them, but it was abandoned. They had gone into the Iifa Tree."

Mikoto's face started to show fear, her memories clearly haunting her. "I went in after them. I have always been invisible to monsters, a skill Garland granted me to be your guide and you witnessed it firsthand in Terra. Perhaps if I could find them before the monsters noticed their presence, they could leave unscathed. But it was far too late. I found their bodies bloodied and mangled, still being feasted on by monsters. I started to flee, unsure how to even process what I had witnessed, when-" Mikoto shut her eyes, trying to not relive her experience, but it was clearly playing itself in her mind. "-There was a child, crying, caught in the roots below me. The fools had brought their daughter along with them like it was some sort of family outing...! I t-tried to reach her... But she was too far and the monsters were drawn to her wailing. I was no longer invisible, tampering with their victim made me the next on their list to attack."

Mikoto removed one of her gloves and held up her right hand, missing a finger. "It ended as you may have expected. I was too fearful to fight them off. I fled and barely made it back to the village before losing consciousness. When I came to, much time had passed and as I feared, the girl was gone by the time I healed and gathered my courage to return."

"Dammit." Zidane spat.

"What followed after was two individuals venturing out here clearly looking for those who perished. They were investigating the airship one day as I approached the Iifa Tree and to say they were surprised to see someone out here that wasn't their friends is an understatement. I was bombarded by questions, not only pertaining to those missing, but as to who I was and what I was. They were sorrowful for the loss of the trio though I later learned they had a falling out and came to the Iifa Tree in an attempt to prove themselves in an argument of some kind. Once pleasantries were out of the way, they introduced themselves and to make things short, they both research the nature of Gaia, amongst other things, and mix their adventures into it. The female of them, who is named Tem, is a talented magus who's spent the last decade teaching herself the written language of Terra. With it, she translates texts her partner has unearthed from various areas where Terra's structures bled onto Gaia's soil. Said partner is called Gilgamesh and he-"

"Wait a second..." Zidane stopped her.

"Yes?"

"Four arms, red hair?"

"...Yes. You are familiar with him?"

"You could say that. Good to see he kept his moxie for treasuring hunting. I'm guessing this Tem girl is the one who pushed him towards Terran literature as spoils."

"She is enamoured with the idea of becoming a mage more powerful than has ever been recorded, and as our home planet was hyperfocused on magic and furthering it, she is drawn to anything pertaining to Terra. I sense nothing malicious about her, she is just trying to better herself, and as her friend, I support her endeavours. It could end up being useful one day for all we know."

"As fascinating as your friendship tales are, **get to the point.** " Amarant pushed the conversation forward. 

"...I joined them in their research, being genuinely surprised at their efforts and to try and replace the ones they lost. Both mine and Tem's efforts combined along with reports from Gilgamesh's journeys revealed some disturbing facts you need to know. The first being; the Iifa Tree is rotting, and it will have dire consequences if we don't find a way to stop it."

"Rotting? Is that why it's colour is so strange?" Zidane asked.

"Yes. While a lot of this is still conjecture, Gaia has no reason to keep relying on the Iifa Tree any longer, and is killing it. It was placed here as a catalyst to recover Gaia as a whole after the failed fusion. It was needed, Gaia accepted it and had no choice but to bend to its will as it sought to become whole again. When Garland created the soul divider, the Soulcage, it further put Gaia into submission. However, the Soulcage is gone, Terra is destroyed, and Gaia no longer needs it's crutch to survive. It has rejected the Iifa Tree and with nothing to fuel itself any longer, it will eventually rot and completely waste away. It's colour being one proof, but the other being this meadow filled with flowers. Tem believes that these flowers are from the young Gaia before Terra's attempted fusion. They were wiped out and being unable to grow again due to the Soulcage's interference mixed with the Iifa Tree claiming most of the soil for itself on this continent as it took root here. We believe in time as the rot furthers, we may see more unknown flora on the other continents as well. Fortunately, the rot has been slow and no damage has been done yet, but it will be a problem when the entire terrain that uses the Iifa Tree roots to prop itself up crumbles into where it's support used to be."

"Uh, yeah, that will be a problem." Zidane tried not to think of the possibilities too much.

"And we already have the problem of that scumbag moving the roots on the Mist Continent too." Amarant added.

"You are already aware of the moving roots? That was my other concern. Gilgamesh informed me of witnessing a root moving and it could hasten the possibilities of what I already mentioned. I have yet to confirm his claims, but I guess they were correct."

"We think someone is using an Eidolon to move and hide among the roots. It's pretty much been confirmed but we're having a hard time catching the culprit. It's a pretty long story in itself." Zidane confirmed.

"That is concerning. Perhaps we ought to put what I thought was a secondary issue and make it the main focus. Tem and Gilgamesh have a small office in Daguerreo. I believe it wise for us to compare notes."

"We're going to starting the hunt for said root mover again soon, so why don't you head back and i'll send word once we depart and we'll make a stop to Daguerreo. Sound good?" 

"That should suffice. I will await your visit." Mikoto began walking towards her airship before stopping dead in her tracks. "That is, if I ever make it back myself. My airship is out of commission." She let out an irritated sigh. 

Zidane looked to Amarant with a smirk before addressing Mikoto. "Well, you're in luck. We just so happen to have an airship engineer among us! I'm sure if you ask nicely he'll give it a look~"

"I'll look it over." Amarant ignored Zidane's teasing and started towards Mikoto's airship. 

"Oh, um, thank you?"

"Don't thank me yet, there's no guarantee I can fix it." The airship was much smaller on the inside than expected. The deck and engine room were one in the same while the only other room was storage. Amarant figured it was an early prototype to the non-mist models that somehow made it out of testing. He grimaced at the engine's state upon taking off it's protective plate. "I'm surprised you didn't have a crash landing. When was the last time you had this serviced?"

"Serviced?"

"Nevermind," Amarant grumbled. "Go and look for an emergency boot kit, every airship is supposed to have one. I'll see what I can manage in the meantime."

"I'll help you look, Mikoto, it's probably in the storage somewhere." Mikoto nodded and led Zidane into the storage room while Amarant continued to fiddle with the overused engine. 

"It's messy, I'm hardly ever in here." Mikoto pushed some cobwebs from her face. "All the items belonged to the family lost to the tree and i've not touched them since the ship was given to me."

"Well, we're looking for a small box that probably has the Lindblum emblem on it. It's got a shield with a red dragon towering over it."

"I am aware of its design." They both took to different sides of the room and began shifting things. While Zidane was intently looking for their mark, a book fell from a pile he was moving, opening to random page. The page in question happened to be a detailed drawing of a mountain and the plains below it. Curious, Zidane flipped to the next page, and then to the next, revealing more drawings. They eventually moved away from landscapes into portraits, also highly detailed. He continued to peruse all continuing pages until he reached one that he felt he seen the face of before. He started picking his brain as to who it reminded him of, and as the name reached him, he felt a chill overtake his body.

"...Mikoto?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know if anyone in the family was artistically talented?" 

Mikoto stopped her search to put her thoughts to Zidane's question. "I believe Gilgamesh mentioned that the mother was more or less dragged along on her husband's adventures, often spending her time waiting in the airship for his return. When not tending to their child, she found solace in drawing. Why is it you ask this?"

"No reason," Zidane shoved the sketchbook into his cloak. "I was just curious."

Mikoto opened her mouth to continue, but the whir of the airship engine surprised them both. Amarant opening the door to the storage room followed immediately after. "The boot kit was in another panel nearby. Don't fly it after you get back to Daguerreo. It's just about gone."

"I understand, but what should I do about the engine for the future?"

"When we meet up, i'll bring along some airship technicians and we'll get 'er all fixed up. How does that sound?" Zidane offered.

"Acceptable, I shall see you soon then. I must go inform Tem of your planned visit."

Zidane and Amarant quickly exited the ship and Mikoto gave them a quick wave before it shakily took off into the horizon. "If it's not one thing, it's another. Anything else we have to worry about?" Amarant grumbled. 

"I'd hate to sour your mood further, but I think I might have figured something out."

"Yeah, and what's that?"

Zidane pulled the sketchbook from his cloak and Amarant's eyes were drawn to it. "This seems to be the sketchbook of the wife who died in the Iifa Tree that day, I found it on the ship and Mikoto confirmed it's heritage." Zidane flipped to the page that had quickly haunted him a few moments ago and then held it up to Amarant. "Please tell me you're seeing the same resemblance I am. I don't think that kid died that day."


	32. Tests

Dawn came to the Black Mage Village, and with it, the passing of a beloved friend. Despite everyone's efforts to figure out what ailed him, Bobby Corwen passed peaceably in his sleep. Every Genome in the village along with all visitors were present for his burial and though it was as uniform as every other one before it, there was a noticeable change in the village's atmosphere. While the Genomes expressions did not change nor did they speak any differently from their usual routine, they all seemed tired. However, among them was one Genome that felt more than his peers. Mr. 555 couldn't be moved from Bobby Corwen's grave. Only Nini dared approach him, firmly grasping his hand. They said nothing to one another for ages, until Mr. 555 grasped Nini's hand back, acknowledging his comfort. 

"...How..." Mr. 555 managed. "How does one continue? My purpose is gone. My... Friend is gone." Nini looked up to him trying to hold back tears. "I'm so tired..." Mr. 555 closed his eyes hard. "I'm so tired of burying my friends...!" He fell to his knees, Nini catching him before he fell any further. There he stayed, shaking. Nini saw no reason for Mr. 555's tears to be out of place and cried with him, whilst Zidane looked on the scene with shock. Soul or not, Mr. 555 was crying, feeling emotion. There was so much to be asked, to be investigated, but now was not that time. He engraved the scene in his mind as he left the two of them to cry themselves out. "What.... What do I do now...?"

******

Eiko dropped her pencil and stretched her fingers over yet another finished test. She quickly looked it over before Minister Artania approached to retrieve it. 

"Another one finished, Lady Eiko?" 

"Yep! How many more today?" 

"You are scheduled to take another two a few hours from now and they will be your final examinations overall."

"What!? Really!?"

"Yes, you're almost done."

"B-but what about my marks? Do I need to retake anything?"

"So far, you're passing with flying colours! Let's see if that's a pattern, shall we?" Minister Artania took the test and filed it away between his books. "But please don't despair even if your grades falter a bit, you needn't be perfect. A flawed leader is more relatable and easier to respect."

"Aha, mixing your sermons into my everyday life again? I know that all too well, Uncle Artania."

"As does your father. Please go take a break and be back at the appointed time. I have been told Nini returned an hour or so ago, perhaps he is in your chamber?" 

"Oh, i'll go check on him now! Thanks Uncle Artania!" Eiko giddily left her testing room and entered the elevator. It had only been two days since Nini had left, but as she had been drowning in her schoolwork, her excitement to see someone that wasn't Minister Artania was written on her face. She practically bounded off the elevator and upon reaching the hall that led to her chambers, seeing Nini exiting them. "Nini!" She called out to him, embracing his small structure. He held her back trying to find the right words, silence not his usual response. Eiko noticed this and immediately pulled back, looking into his face. "What's wrong? What happened?" 

"...Please don't be angry with me."

"Nini, when have I ever been angry with you?"

"I've never given you reason to... Until now."

Eiko could see a nervous fear in Nini's eyes. She met them with patience and a smile. "How about you tell me what's going on and then i'll decide if it's worth putting my angry face on, okay?"

"Okay..." Nini twiddled his thumbs nervously and took a breath before answering. "Bobby Corwen didn't make it. He was buried this morning."

"Oh Nini... I'm so sorry..."

"It's alright, it's a part of life, i've come to terms with this, but he... He doesn't know how to cope, he doesn't understand how to!"

"Who's he?"

"...Mr. 555. I couldn't leave him, Eiko! Please let him stay! I'll move to the inn-"

"Whoa, slow down! You brought him here?"

"Yeah... Zidane thought it'd be a good idea. I just got him to stop crying. He's sleeping in my bed right now."

"He was... Crying?"

"Yes." Nini answered firmly.

Eiko attempted to take in what she had just been told. The loss of another villager and the impossible apparently happening. "I'm not mad at you, in fact, i'm very proud of you. It's been a dream of ours to have Genomes live among every other race for a long time, but whatever was stopping us from taking the first step. Nini, you took it for us and i'm grateful. Don't worry about a thing, i'll go talk to Mother and Father and we'll work something out. They wouldn't dream of sending him back and neither would I! He's just as welcome here as you are."

"Thank you, Eiko!"

"You know that it's no problem! Stay with him while I got talk to the parentals. I'll be back soon!" She went back to the elevator and set it to go to the throne entrance. "It shouldn't be a problem..." She started envisioning the conversation with her father, wondering if she'd have to reason with him. The elevator's distinct ping broke Eiko from her thoughts and she began climbing the staircase to the throne room. The guards greeted her with salutes and gave her no indication of Cid being engaged currently, but she entered tentatively anyways. She found both her parents busily looking over various papers with a few of her moogles hovering above them. "Mother, Father, are you busy right now?"

"Eiko-!" Cid panicked and quickly organized the papers, Hilda doing the same while the moogles scrambled to land, exiting the throne room. "Er- Not at all! Please come in!" 

Eiko tried to hide a smile from witnessing the scene while she approached the throne. She made a mental note to pry whatever her parents were hiding from her out of Momatose later. "How are your tests, dear?" Hilda quickly changed the focus. 

"Good!" Eiko answered. "Just two more and then i'm all done!" 

"Fantastic! I'm proud of you for being so diligent!" Cid praised his daughter.

"I'll admit, i'm beginning to run out of steam, but the end is in sight! But enough about me, I didn't come up here to gloat about my grades. I, um, need a bit of a favour."

"Does it have anything to do with that poor dear I saw Nini with earlier?" Hilda asked. 

"Yes! You've seen him!?"

"Nini was leading him by the hand while he tried to hide his tears. Such a small little boy he was."

"He's one of Nini's friends from the village, and I think it'd be a good idea to keep an eye on him. He's a Genome, and they're really not known to express themselves at all. Is it alright if he stays here? I hate to ask for more after all you've done for me-"

"Nonsense, Eiko!" Cid cut her off. "Any friend of yours or Nini's is welcome here. And you're supposed to rely on your parents!"

"It's what we're here for, dear. Now, what is the child's name and what is ailing him?"

"Mr. 555 is what he's been going by and Bobby Corwen unfortunately passed. He was in charge of his care and it's apparently affected him deeply."

"Of course, he's just lost a friend!" Hilda chided. 

"I know Mother, but Genomes are without souls with the exceptions being Zidane, Mikoto, ...and Kuja. They're not supposed to laugh, cry, or show any emotion at all. It's puzzling to say the least."

"Puzzling or not, we'll do our best to make him feel welcome, won't we dear?" Hilda sweetly smiled and Cid echoed it. 

"Of course. When he's feeling better, please bring him to meet me, would you?"

"I will! Thank you so much! I'm going to go study now!" 

"Good luck, dear!" Hilda encouraged as Eiko sped out of the throne room. 

She nearly tripped on her moogles that were peering into the entryway. They scurried out of the way and tried to avoid contact with her. "What're you hiding~" Eiko grabbed Momatose from the air.

"N-nothing, kupo!"

"Uh-huh~" She poked at his pom-pom.

"It's certainly nothing about a party!" Chimomo blurted and Momatose shot a glare at the smaller moogle.

"Is that so?" Eiko released the Momatose. "Well, I won't keep you from your non-party plans with my parents." Eiko giggled as she descended the stairs, the moogles bickering amongst themselves in the background.


	33. Wounds

A Debutante was just a fancier way of throwing Eiko a graduation party. Cid and Hilda had no desire to marry off their child, but wished to show her future people the woman she had matured into, giving the citizens of Lindblum continued satisfaction. Eiko was thrilled regardless and invitations were sent out quickly as preparations began to get serious. To her surprise, Mr. 555 had taken into helping as long as Nini was by his side. Eiko had moved out of her old chamber and into the guest room to accommodate him as it wouldn't be long until she was moved to the same area as her parents. While Eiko was supposed to leave the preparations to the castle staff, she couldn't resist helping out, caught up in the excitement. Her, Mr. 555, and Nini made quick work or the smaller decorations until she was chased out by Hilda, not wanting every detail of the ball spoiled for her daughter. Bored and no longer able to help, she decided to pay the Corals a visit. It was decided the hunt for the Pelops leader would resume the day after the ball, and she could tell by Amarant's body language that he was more than ready to get going. 

"Soooo, have you two decided who your 'plus one' is going to be?" Eiko teased Keahi and Holly. 

"I'm not taking one. You can count Holly as it if you want." Keahi answered without looking up for the Tetra match he was having with Eiko. 

"That's cheap, Keahi. Nobody strikes your fancy?"

"I'm **fourteen**."

"You have to have a crush on _someone!_ "

"If I did, i'd NEVER tell you!" Keahi spat. 

"Alright, geez. Holly, are you bringing someone?"

"I was actually wondering if it's alright if I invite my friend from Treno?" 

"That's totally fine! Let me know if you need someone to pick her up! There's going to be an airship picking up all the nobles so I can send her a ticket." 

"That would be great, thank you!" 

"You lose." Keahi placed his last card down and then collected them back, including Eiko's lost card. 

"To be expected~" Eiko shrugged. "I'm just trying to kill time anyways."

"You can't do it elsewhere?" Amarant grumbled. 

"I can't stay in the castle because of everything that's going on, and I can't just wander the streets for fear of being accosted by excited citizens. This is my only option right now. I understand why Zidane always has that silly cloak on all the time." 

"Maybe you should get one yourself?" Keahi asked. 

"I guess? They're really not my style. But speaking of style, what are you two wearing to the ball? I wana see!"

"We haven't bought anything yet. Shops are too crowded and that's why Mom isn't here right now, she's swamped at work." 

"That won't do! The ball is tomorrow! I gotta get you guys suited up before it's too late!" 

"The shops are _crowded_ , Eiko."

"Here, but maybe not in Treno! How about I take you two there, get you some nice party clothes, and we'll pick up your friend while we're there!"

"Sounds expensive..." Holly faltered. 

"Don't worry about it! Come on, let's go, they'll at least let me back into the castle to take the Eiko Garde I!"

"You're going to force me to come even if I say no." Keahi sighed and then looked to his dad. "Is it alright if we go, Dad? It'd get Eiko out of your hair."

Amarant saw Eiko's eager smile that spelled out that she was going to have her way regardless of his opinion, so he relented. "Just watch your pockets and stay out of the slums. Be back as soon as you're done shopping, no detours."

"Aww, so responsible!" Eiko teased. "I'll have them back by dinner!"

"Just get out already."

******

"I'm not going." Ferrington pushed the invitation away. 

"Why ever not?" Freya wrinkled her brow. "All of your friends are going to be there."

"it just, really doesn't appeal to me?"

"Ugh, Ferri, what does appeal to you? You're coming and that's that. I will not be the only Burmecian besides the king attending." 

"He's probably not even going to go! He hates big parties!"

"Even more of a reason to accompany me! Don't make me go alone!"

"Ferrington, this may be the last time you will get to spend time with Eiko besides business reasons. She is next in line to the throne of Lindblum and this party is very much her last hurrah before she gets serious about her ascension. Go to send her off if nothing else. I won't have you wasting the night here." Freya pushed the invitation back to him.

"Alright, fine. But do I have to dress up? My Knight uniform is nice enough!"

"Absolutely not!" Faye objected. "You and I are going to the tailor, **now!** "

"Must we?"

" **Yes.** "

******

"So, you're going, but you're not?" Tucker questioned a clearly moody Rose. 

"I am going as your knight, Prince Tucker. I can't protect you in a puffy ball gown."

"You don't _need_ you to protect me all the time! Take a break for once in your life!"

"I can't. Your mother and father are unable to attend and neither can mine. We can't have the Prince of Alexandria go to a party unattended."

"I can tell you want to go and not have to hover around me! Keahi will be there, I won't be totally alone!" 

"My Prince, it can't be helped. If you'll excuse me, I have some duties to attend to. I will see you soon." She exited Tucker's room after a salute and closed to door behind her. She stopped to lean against it, her mind racing. "If Keahi is attending then so is..." She grit her teeth, and forced herself into her usual pace. Duties first, plans later. 

******

"Thank you so much for doing my hair, Mrs. Coral! It's so short so I didn't even think of trying to do anything with it!" Cornelia gushed at the style Lani had managed. 

"You're very welcome! You and Holly could pass for twins tonight!" Lani looked back at her work, both of them sporting similar styles. 

"If only!" Cornelia hugged Holly. "Life is so dull without you around! Please visit me more often!"

"Haha, i'll try to!"

There was a knock at the door to Holly's room followed by Keahi poking his head in. "Are you two ready yet? The party's already started."

"They are now! I take it you've been in your suit for a while. Let me see you!" Lani waved Keahi in. Keahi rolled his eyes and begrudgingly entered into the room. "You look so handsome!" Lani grinned at his embarrassment. "I guess it was good to trust Eiko's judgement!"

"More like, we weren't leaving the store until I agreed with her." 

"Well, we all know she was right!" Cornelia took Holly's hand and started to lead her towards Keahi. "You're perfectly suited up for a ball, so much so you might catch the eye of some noble gal!"

"No thank you. Going for the food, ignoring everything else." This made Cornelia laugh heartily and Holly stifled a few giggles herself.

"We're going now, thanks Mom." Holly waved before they descended the stairs.

"Have fun, OK? Your father is on patrol tonight for the party so say 'hi' if you see him!" 

"We will!" They exited the Coral residence and took off towards the air cabs. With most of the excitement for the ball contained inside the castle already, the streets were quiet and there was no line for the air cab. 

"I can't believe i'm going to some fancy-pancy ball at Lindblum Castle! You never told me you were friends with the Regent's daughter!"

"She's more Keahi's friend..."

"And friend is used very loosely." Keahi finished. 

"Snnrk, are you always this unpleasant?"

"Are you always this annoying?"

"Come on guys, please don't fight."

Cornelia and Keahi shared a glare before relenting. "Right, sorry Holly, our spats are better solved in the Treno card arena, right Keahi?"

"Anytime you want another beat down, i'm game."

"As if i'd let you win again!"

Holly groaned and hastily exited the air cab as it arrived at it's destination. The air around the castle was giddy, many people still chatting outside and enjoying the night air before it turned too cool. The closer they got to the entrance the louder the party buzz became. There was a mild hesitation between the three of them, but as soon as Eiko came into view at the entrance, greeting all her guests, they all pressed forward into the crowd.

"Look who made it!" Eiko both greeted and announced their presence. "You all look pretty sharp if I do say so myself! _Especially_ Keahi." 

"Gee, I wonder why." Keahi took her outstretched hand and shook it, Holly and Cornelia doing the same. Eiko giggled at Keahi quickly disappearing into the crowd.

"Have fun tonight! Nini's looking for a dance or two so be on the lookout!" Eiko winked at Holly and she laughed at the thought of the small mage on the dancefloor.

"Oooo, who's Nini!?" Cornelia teased as Holly and her entered the ball.

"A friend of mine and Keahi's. He lives at the castle with Eiko."

" _Is he handsome!?_ "

"I'd say he's more... Cute?" 

"I can work with that!"

"I think you'll be rather, surprised, when you meet him." Holly saw that Keahi had already parked himself near the buffet table and just as she was wondering to join him or not, a waving hand in the crowd caught her eye. It belonged to Faye, who had resigned herself to being what looked like a wallflower.

"Friend of yours?"

"Kinda? Do you want me to introduce you? You don't have to be stuck with me all night, Cornelia, I can see you eyeing someone on the dancefloor."

"I'm not- I mean-! I don't want to abandon you!"

"I'm _fine_ Cornelia. Go have some fun! I'll probably be joining her on the wall anyways. Come and find me later."

"You know i'm reserving a dance just for you!"

"I'll look forward to it!" Holly and Cornelia separated, the former pushing herself through the crowd towards Faye.

"Oh, i'm so sorry, I didn't mean to take you away from your friend!" Faye hesitated at Holly's arrival. 

"It's completely fine. She's boy crazy and the wall is much more my speed. It's Faye, right? We never did get properly introduced."

"Yep, that's me! And the wall welcomes all!" Faye spread her arms, making Holly laugh.

"Your brother isn't joining you tonight?"

"He's here, but he abandoned me as soon as we arrived! Jumped up into the rafters to avoid contact with anyone."

"If it makes you feel any better, Keahi did the same, he's over by the buffet table now, and I don't think he'll move from it."

"I saw! He didn't even stop to say hi!"

"But I am!" A different, but familiar voice spoke up next to them. Nini had snuck up on them. Both Faye and Holly smiled at his sudden appearance. 

"That's because you're a gentleman!" Faye readjusted the lavish bow that had been tied around his hat. 

"Well then, would one of you lovely ladies grace this gentleman with a dance?" Nini bowed.

"I'm actually in the middle of getting to know the wall better, but I think Holly is looking for a dance partner." Faye winked at her. 

"I'd be honored, but I might step on your toes, I don't know how to dance!"

"That's fine, neither do I!" Nini grabbed Holly's hand and dragged her onto the dancefloor. They fell in with the rest of the couples and did their best on swaying properly to the music. Holly noticed Nini's attention went to the ceiling on occasion. Holly did the same but couldn't find what he was focusing on. "Look a liiiiittle to the left." Nini noticed her search. She did so and soon found Mr. 555 on the second floor leaning on a railing. Nini waved once their eyes met and he waved back.

"How is he doing?" Holly asked.

"Better, but it's a little too crowded for his liking tonight."

Mr. 555 sighed watching the crowd, not being able to fully comprehend the point of the gathering. "I didn't think anyone else would be up here." A voice came from beside Mr. 555, startling him. Once he saw it was Ferrington, he relaxed slightly. 

"No one is supposed to be here." Mr. 555 went back to his previous position.

"But you're up here because-"

"I have permission to, you jumped up here without any regard."

"Parties not your thing?"

"I suppose."

Ferrington followed Mr. 555's line of sight to see Nini and Holly dancing. "Hey, isn't that-"

"Holly Coral is currently dancing with Nini Ornitier, if you were refering to whom I am currently watching." 

"It is her! I kinda need to talk to her, but i'll wait until Nini's done."

"...Nini informed me that he plans to 'dance the night away', so I doubt he'll be finished anytime soon." 

"Best make your move now before the night's over." Another voice interrupted them. Amarant walked in from the darkness of a hallway.

"Woah, Mr. Coral!? What are you doing here?"

"I'm on patrol duty, there aren't enough guards to go around for an event this big."

"Oh, uh, that makes sense!" Ferrington was trying to mask her nervousness with conversation. 

"Which means this place is off limits. Either go back down or get thrown out." Amarant crossed his arms.

"Okay, i'm going! Don't need to tell me twice..." Ferrington paused. "What about him?" He pointed to Mr. 555.

"He lives here, now get." 

"Yessir!" Ferrington jumped back down and landed on the dance floor, conveniently next to Nini and Holly, both shocked by his sudden arrival. 

"Uh, mind if I cut in?" 

"Wow, if your face wasn't so doofy right now, that would've been so _suave_." Nini held back some laughter. 

"Are you going to let me cut in or not?"

"Yeah, yeah, just don't make a habit of it!" Nini handed off Holly to Ferington and disappeared back into the crowd. 

"Faye told me you had taken to hanging out in the 'rafters' tonight, what changed your mind?" Holly raised a brow at Ferrington. 

"Your father is patrolling and told me to get down here or get thrown out. I am not going to fight with him!" 

"So that's where he is!" Holly cast her eyes back to the second floor again, seeing if she could spot him.

"I also need to, uh, talk to you?"

"I'm guessing about our last encounter." Holly brought her gaze back to him.

"Yeah... If you're okay to talk about it?"

"I'm fine now, thank you for asking. I'm back with my family, almost all of Pelops is behind bars, and i'm on my way back to what everyone deems normal."

"That's... Good, considering-" Ferrington stopped himself, wanting to kick himself for his wording.

"Considering that I almost died the last time we spoke? Yeah, i'd say it's pretty good."

"Look, i'm really sorry, about everything."

"You already apologized-"

"Not properly! The first time I tried I was just trying to act cool, breaking the ice with the whistle thing, and the second time I was trying to stop you from bleeding out. Let me at least apologize for my idiocy and try to leave a better impression on you besides the boy who harassed you for something really stupid."

"I... Really don't think of you like that."

"Regardless, i'm sorry for taking my job _way_ too seriously, and for not accommodating you better into the city. I should've used some critical thinking and just led you to the inn, but I instead went over the line and-"

"Ferrington, stop it. I forgive you, alright? Water under the bridge. If I let every little thing that someone has done wrong to me bother me, i'd be a very bitter person. It's true that I harbour a lot of anger for Pelops-"

"For good reason!"

"-But you just made a mistake, something everyone does. I'm not upset about it. So let's put it behind us, okay?"

Ferrington breathed a sigh of relief and met Holly's eyes. "Okay. This went a lot better than I thought it would." 

"What, thought I was still angry?"

"...Maybe? Faye is scary when she's mad so I didn't really know what to expect if you were! You did threaten to kill those goons."

"A heat of a moment thing. I don't think I have it in me to take the life of another, horrible person or not." 

"But you're willing to throw yours away so easily?" Ferrington's relief turned into a glare. Holly looked away in response. 

"...At the time, I didn't know about the Corals adopting me or if I was ever going to find them again. I saw the connection you had with your father, and while it made be jealous, the last thing I wanted for either of you to suffer for something I involved myself in. It was a foolish thing to do, and i'm sorry for putting you through that. I thought my armor was stronger than it was."

"Well, I forgive you too, you did save my father from what may have been a fatal blow, so thanks for that, but seriously, don't do anything like that again."

"I don't intend to. You saw how awful a fighter I am."

"If we're being blunt, then yeah, you're not that great. I had to keep using White Draw to replenish your low magic energy."

"Case and point. You are a knight though, aren't you used to protecting others and helping them?"

"Yeah, I guess..." 

The conversation was dropped as they continued to sway to rhythm, but Holly saw something hiding in Ferrington. "...If we're still being blunt, i'd like to say something about you."

"And what's that?"

"I don't think you enjoy your job very much."

"What? Why would you say that?"

"When you first approached me, you were treating me like an annoyance, just another thing on your growing list of things to do."

"That's not-"

"And you'd rather avoid people then relish in their praise."

"Maybe i'm just antisocial!"

"Maybe, but I don't think so. You're defensiveness is betraying you."

Ferrington was at a loss on how to respond. Was he always this transparent? He wondered if his parents had noticed his discontent as well. "Alright, you got me. I thought it was something I always wanted, to be just like my parents. But now that I am a knight, I realize it's not what I wanted at all. I admired my parents for their adventures, going from continent to continent, seeing a new world, and finding themselves in the process. That's what i've truly always wanted to do. I want to see the snow of Esto Gaza and take down a dragon in Mt. Gulug! Or visit the all the shrines where our parents paced the mirrors, seeing the places I read in Memoria, not just hearing about them. But, all I see now is Burmecia, every day. Nothing changes, I patrol in a valley that has little to no monsters, I come home, sleep, repeat."

"Will your parents not let you go on a journey?"

"I've never asked because I know the answer. My dad went on a journey and lost his memories, my mother went after him and got caught up in countless battles of the war. They both worked hard afterwards to bring Burmecia to how it is now, and I feel like leaving it would be a slap in the face to their efforts. It'd easier on them if I just stay there and give them peace of mind that i'm safe and sound."

"So you're willing to be unhappy for the rest of your life because you're too afraid to ask them for a bit of freedom?"

"I'm not afraid of them!"

"Ferrington, they're your parents. From what i've seen with your interactions with your father, you have have a strong bond with them. One that I'd like to someday emulate with Lani and Amarant if I can. One thing I know is it doesn't hurt to ask. Both of them and Keahi are slowly letting me not be watched all the time for fear of me disappearing again, earning trust is a long, slow process. If you can prove to your parents that you want to undertake a journey and that you can handle it, i'm sure they'd be willing. In fact, we should have a contest to give you some motivation. Who will get their wish first, your desire to adventure or my desire to be able to come and go as I please without an escort! Winner states their prize upon reaching their goal?"

"Pfft, I think yours is much more likely to happen first!" The music stopped and they let go of one another.

"I doubt that!" Holly sneered before blending back into the crowd.

"Oho, by the look on Ferrington's face, it seems him and your sister had an argument of some kind, and she won!" Tucker observed from the buffet table.

"Good." Keahi responded before shoveling more food in his mouth.

"Man, I really wish I had the opportunity to go to school with you all, I feel like I missed out on so much drama!"

"Eh, it was more Ferrington off and on being a jerk with Eiko forcing us to go wherever with her."

"Still sound leagues more fun then spending my days with Rose hovering around me."

"Speaking of, where is your shadow?"

"She's here, probably in the the perimeter making sure nobody tries to kill me or whatever. If I wasn't standing next to you, she'd be."

"It's like what we've been with Holly lately. She must be getting tired of it all."

"Well, as long as you don't make it forever. You don't need two stir crazy friends!"

Holly found herself back at the wall, observing her brother and Tucker at the buffet table. Her eyes went back to the dance floor to see Cornelia dancing with, whoever, while Nini had claimed Faye as his next partner. The chatter in the room grew louder as Eiko finally graced the room with her presence, Her mother and father following behind her. With all guests inside and accounted for, Cid called for the festivities to temporarily cease as he began a small speech. All attention was on them, Holly's included, until a sudden presence became privy to her. She glanced over to see an armored girl was standing beside her. Holly did her best not to jump, wondering how long she had been standing next to this formidable figure. They said nothing, not even acknowledging Holly's reaction. Holly saw the Alexandria insignia on her armor and figured her to be Rose, the knight Keahi mentioned on occasion. Tucker's presence here confirmed this as the girl's eyes were constantly on him. Soon enough, the speech ended, everyone in attendance cheered, and all eyes fell to Eiko and how she would handle the insane amount of people demanding her attention. 

"Tell me," Rose finally spoke. "Why is it you are allowed to live your life blissfully unaware whilst others are to suffer for your poor decisions?"

"E-excuse me?"

"It is a simple question, yet I suppose you can't fully comprehend the answer, with your father hiding painful truths from you."

"I-I really don't-"

"Did you know? Two years ago, Prince Tucker lost his memories in an accident."

"That horrible..." 

"It is indeed. For many a days people tried to figure out what caused the fire that he threw himself into to save his friend. It's only recently that the truth about the incident came to light. It seems that a little Pelops escapee was frantically running from their captors and decided the best way to get them off their tail was to lose control of their magic. Anything sounding familiar?" A cold sweat overtook Holly. She felt unable to move, stuck in place, and the fear she often felt in her past was returning. She tried to speak, give any answer at all, but all she was able to manage was a small shake of her head. " _...Liar._ " Rose's icy words pierced her. She gave Holly no pity as she began her verbal assault.

"Being the adopted daughter of Amarant Coral doesn't pardon your crime. That day, you trapped me inside the steelple, thinking I was a Pelops member. You didn't even _think_ to check before attempting to murder me. Prince Tucker went in after me, saved me, but was unable to escape the blaze himself. Most praised it as a benefit for him, he forgot all his memories of his dealing with Pelops, started his life anew. However, to me, my friend _died_ that day, and in his place was no longer someone I could be equal with, but someone I was destined to serve." Rose turned to the trembling Holly. "You ruined _everything_."

"I-I'm s-s-sor-"

"Save your breath, I will never forgive you. You do not feel remorse, you feel fear, and I wish to add to it to further what you should be feeling in it's stead. I am Prince Tucker's knight, and I will protect him at all costs. You should have _never_ appeared in front of the Corals, weaseling your way into their family. If you had not tried to escape that day and had just been patient like the rest of the Pelops victims, you would have been eventually saved. But you instead caused more heartache than you're worth. Myself, the King and Queen, Tucker, the Crescents, the Fabools, and the Corals. You pulled their families apart for two whole years, and you think showing up again will just magically fix all you've wrought? Not only that, you're dangerous. Putting aside what you did to Prince Tucker and I, you've also single handedly killed a Behemoth i've heard. I admired that strength until I found out about the truth, and frankly, you're a liability and one that I refuse to blindly accept, so I will get to the point."

Rose grabbed Holly's chin and yanked her face upwards. "Do not ever approach the Prince or anyone else in the Alexandrian royal family, or I will spill this little secret to all your new friends. Myself, King Zidane, and your father are the only ones who know of it. They wished to hide it from us all, but I believe that unfair and infuriating. I wonder if you brother and all the friends that come with him will be so kind to you once they learn _you're_ the reason for all this unneeded grief, hmm? Are we in agreement?" 

Holly managed a nod and Rose released her. "Very good, we'll not speak to one another again if you play your cards right. Do try to enjoy what's left of the party." Rose faded into the crowd, leaving Holly with her intrusive thoughts and her struggle to keep herself together. Minutes ticked by as she tried to take in Rose's claims and her threats. Faye returned to her place on the wall as the dancing had mostly ceased due to Eiko's demanding presence. She spotted Holly and joined her again. 

"I _finally_ got Nini to stop twirling me around like a top! It's a good thing I skipped the buffet or-" Faye stopped her banter as Holly's face was emotionless and very pale. "H-hey, is everything okay?"

Holly looked to Faye, and in a split moment, Holly's mind replaced her face knit with kind concern with one of anger and disgust. She recoiled from Faye's hand on her shoulder. "I-I'm sorry, i'm f-feeling unwell." It was easy enough to get through the crowd now, most had moved in towards the woman of the hour giving Holly a clear path outside. The tears she has commanded herself not to shed finally came as she exited the castle into the night. Faye sensed something was off and immediately went to Keahi. "Hey, Keahi, Holly just ran out saying she wasn't feeling well."

"Oh geez, i'll go after her. Sorry Tucker, we'll finish this conversation later."

"Family first! Seeya later!" 

Keahi took the same route as Holly and to his relief, saw her sitting on distant bench by the aircab. He noticed her tears and hurried his pace to her side, hoping she just had a stomach ache. "Holly, what's wrong? Faye said you're not feeling well. Do you want me to take you home?" 

Holly shook her head. "J-just go back and enjoy the party, K-Keahi."

"No. I'm not even really enjoying it to be honest so if you want to go home, i'm game."

"Stay for Cornelia, then."

"Holly, just tell me what's wrong! I thought we got past this whole step already." Keahi knelt down in front of her and met her gaze. "What's bothering you, Holly, you can tell me."

Holly's mind played the same trick as it did with Faye and she covered her eyes to avoid seeing it fully on Keahi. " ** _No-!_ I can't-!** "

"Holly?"

"I don't want everyone to h-hate me, but it's what I d-deserve? I- I don't know what-" She broke into a sob.

"Holly, no one is gonna hate you. Didn't mom already tell you that nothing you did would change how we felt about you? I don't know what's set you back again to this, but forget about it." Keahi moved her hands away from her eyes and he fully saw her broken expression. Holly knew he wouldn't relent and she felt that her happy days with the Corals had been cut short. She had nothing left to lose.

"Keahi, i'm the reason Tucker lost his memories."

"...What?"

"I b-burned down the steeple trying to flee Pelops. When I said I made my magic go haywire, that was the time I did so. It's all my fault, I started all this grief, and you should hate me, _so please, stop treating me kindly...! I-It hurts...! I can't stand it anymore!_ " 

Keahi let go of her hands and watched her shaking figure. "You don't know that."

"Yes I do! Go ask Dad if you want proof! He was hiding it to protect all of us!"

"Did **Dad** tell you this?"

"N-no..."

" **Who** did?"

" _It doesn't matter! Everything adds up and I'm-_ "

"Holly, who told you this, who intentionally wanted to put you into this state? _**Tell me.**_ " Keahi's eyes turned from sympathetic to laced with rage. Holly flinched upon meeting them, her own fear forcing the truth out.

"R-Rose..."

"Hey! Are you two okay?" Cornelia called out to them and joined their side "I saw you both leave so I got a little worried."

Keahi rose from his kneeling position and walked past Cornelia without even looking at her. "Stay with Holly."

******

Mr. 555 found himself increasingly bored, counting the heads of those in attendance, making mental note of their dress colours and how many other were wearing the same. Amarant passed him on occasion but neither felt the need to converse, but an oddity in the ballroom forced Mr. 555 to speak up the next time Amarant made his rounds. 

"Mr. Coral."

"What's up, kid?"

"Both of your children have left the party."

"Together? 

"Initially, yes, but Keahi returned for a brief moment before exiting elsewhere with a knight I am unfamiliar with."

"Alright, i'll check on them." _'Holly first, she's probably the reason why'_ Amarant thought as he took an exit outside. He saw her and Cornelia huddled on a bench, Holly sobbing. Cornelia saw him walking towards them and gave him a worried look.

"Mr. Coral..."

Holly froze up, almost fearing to look in his direction. "What happened?"

"I'm not really sure, Holly won't speak and Keahi asked me to stay with her before stomping off."

"Holly, what's wrong?" She said nothing, her focus on the cobblestone road beneath them. "...Alright, i'll go look for Keahi." Amarant turned back towards the castle, thinking where his son might be.

"How long..." Holly wheezed. "Were you planning on hiding that I burned the steeple down?"

Amarant turned back to see Holly was now on her feet, staring him down with an intensity similar to the expression she wore the day she thought they were enemies. "...What are you-"

" **How long!?** Rose told me everything! She overheard you and the King talking about how I burned down the steeple and that you were going to hide it from us! I'm the reason Tucker's memories are gone! I caused a chain reaction of grief! I don't deserve your pity-!" She choked back a sob. "...Or your love. Why, why hide it? I almost killed someone! **Don't treat me like i'm a martyr when I deserve to be behind bars!** "

"...Is that what you want? You want me and Lani to toss you aside for defending yourself? It doesn't matter who did what, it all goes back to the scumbags who took yours any many others futures for no reason other than their own gain. You didn't need to know because no matter how you or Rose twists the tale, it will never be your fault." Amarant walked towards her and grabbed her shoulders. "I'm sorry I hid it from you, but you need to understand something; there was no benefit in you knowing. You're a mess now and for what? Thinking you need someone to enact justice on you for an act of desperation everyone knows you didn't do out of spite or personal gain, but to escape people wanting to kidnap you and use you until you broke. Rose isn't seeing the root of the problem, made you a target and wants you how you are now so she can sleep a little better at night. You're both kids hurt by the same cause but unwilling to put the blame on it. You need to wake up from this continual cycle of believing it's your fault for everything. Both Lani and I have done things that we're not proud of, and we never speak of them as we've decided to move past them. Live in the present, for the future, the past means nothing. You can do the same, I know you can. We see a lot of ourselves in you and we'll be _damned_ if we let you go down a similar path."

Holly's tears of hurt turned to ones of an emotion she couldn't quite place. She tried to hastily dry them, utter a word against Amarant's reasoning, but nothing came to her but more tears. Amarant released her and turned to Cornelia. "Take her back to the house, I need to track down her brother."

"O-okay! Come on, Holly, everything's fine!" She grabbed her friend's hand and started pulling her towards the aircab. Amarant watched it leave as he start thinking where Keahi might have gone. A sudden flash of light demanded his attention. It was joined by another of different colour, both flickering before staying a steady glow. It was coming from somewhere on the roof, reflecting itself from the various decorations adorning the towers.

"Those idiots...!" Amarant leaped away, quickly landing on the roof himself. He had a hunch where they were, and he was right as soon as the telescope came into view. Keahi and Rose were fighting, letting their emotions rule their battle into Trance. Rose hit Keahi back who was struggling without a weapon.

"Give up! Your shoddy training is your downfall! Enough is enough."

"No-! You go and apologize to Holly, **now!** "

"I'll not be ordered around by someone who is blind to the truth! Stand down or you will force my hand!"

" **Go to hell!** What is _wrong_ with you!? Holly and Tucker has gone through enough and all you care about is yourself! Do you feel better now, Rose? Does reducing my sister to bitter tears make you feel like justice is served!?"

"She now knows what she did, I regret nothing."

Keahi's Trance faded as he moved out of his battle stance. "Really, nothing? I wonder if you'll sing the same tune when I tell Tucker everything."

"... **What?** "

"His time with Pelops, Holly's as well, and how you intentionally want to force what you believe is right down their throats. If we're throwing secrets around we might as well get another out of the way."

"You **wouldn't!** "

"Maybe, maybe not. You might be surprised how much he knows, but then again, you're not his friend, you're his glorified babysitter. You know nothing of his nightmares, his anxieties, or his wishes. Deep down, he already knows."

" **Shut up! You're bluffing!** "

"It doesn't really matter if I am, I just realized that there's no getting through to you and that you don't matter. Unless you actually want to start helping people and stop being a needless stalker, you're just a pathetic waste of space." Keahi turned his back to her and started down the steps to leave while Rose's rage boiled. Amarant noticed the murderous intent in her eyes and jumped to step in.

" **I'll show you who doesn't matter-!** The charge of Shock hummed in the air, and Keahi not fast enough to move out of the way. Amarant took the brunt of the blow before it reached his son.

" _ **Dad!?**_ "

"Pretty sure I taught you to never show your back to an enemy..." He grunted through the pain. "Don't give Holly any more reason to cry her eyes out tonight." Amarant turned to the fading light of Trace with Rose hesitating just in time to see a quick blur knock her weapon from her hands and then swiftly kick her to the ground. Tucker stood above her, the moonlight revealing a face of disgust towards Rose. 

"M-my Prince...!" 

"Sheathe your sword and relinquish it to me. We are returning to Alexandria. Go to the Red Rose and wait for me there. Disobey and I will have you escorted there by Lindblum guards." Rose hung her head in shame, doing as he said. She took to the roof to avoid going near Amarant and Keahi, but Tucker confirmed her direction was to where the airships were and he shook his head as she disappeared from his sight. "You know, when I said I was upset I missed out on all the drama, this isn't exactly what I meant." Tucker approached them. "Are you both unharmed?"

"We'll live." Amarant checked himself over and looked to Keahi who looked no worse for wear.

Tucker bowed deeply. "I ask forgiveness for my knight's behaviour. I will handle it myself and the blame falls to me for not monitoring Rose and her actions."

"Yeah, it's really not your fault, Tucker. Stop bowing, it's weird." Keahi try to hide his awkwardness. 

"I'm going to set things straight all the same. Please tell me what she did to Holly. Spare nothing from me, I feel like whatever farce i've been living has gone on long enough."

"You're not gonna like it, and you're father will kill me for telling you." Amarant crossed his arms.

"Like Keahi said, i'm already know some of it. You can bury memories-" Tucker looked to his limp hand "But some things still remain."


	34. Families

Dagger lovingly leaned her head onto Zidane's shoulder and he placed his on top of her's in response. Their work was done for today, and the cool night air was comforting as they shared the throne overlooking their kingdom. 

"I hope Tucker and Rose are having a good time." Dagger intertwined her hand with Zidane's 

"Yeah, it's too bad no one could convince Rose to give it a rest for one day."

"She's got the determination of her father."

"Plus her mother's strength and beauty. Not one who's easy to argue with."

The wispy clouds moved away from the moons to illuminate Alexandria, the couple welcoming it's gentle shine. "I wonder if Eiko is angry because we couldn't make it?" Dagger worried.

"I don't think so, she knows how hectic its been. Once everything is settled, we'll have to visit her formally and offer our congratulations. If her training is going to be anything like mine, she's in for quite a stressful process."

Dagger smiled at the shudder Zidane tried to hide on his memories resurfacing. "But of course, it was all worth it, hmmm?"

"That goes without saying!" Zidane responded by kissing her head.

The both closed their eyes for a few fleeting moments, enjoying one another's warmth and company. It was not often they had time alone outside of the bedroom. As soon as they were fit to be seen in the mornings, they were dragged off to opposite sides of the castle to fulfill different duties. They would see each other throughout the day, but they were almost always in the vicinity of servants or knights. Soon, the faint whir of the Red Rose's engine started to assert itself and Zidane opened his eyes to see it on the horizon. 

"Looks like they're back."

"That was fast, it's only been a few hours!"

Zidane continued to watch the Red Rose approach, a gut feeling that something was off. "I could be wrong, but I think something's happened. It's not using it's full power to get back here quickly, but you're right, they're home too soon."

"Perhaps one of them fell ill?"

"That's possible," Zidane stood up and Dagger followed, still holding each other's hands. "But let's go meet the ship and put any worries to rest."

Dagger nodded and they made their way to where the Red Rose usually docked. It had already landed by the time they arrived, and as the engine powered down, Zidane suddenly dragged Dagger behind a wall before they could be seen. "Wh- Zidane!?"

"Shh, I can hear them bickering."

Tucker exited off the ship with Rose behind him desperately pleading for his attention. "Please my Prince! Will you not at least speak with me?" Tucker's disgust was cleary writ on his face as he moved to not face her. "I only did what I believed would best keep you safe! That girl is nothing but a bringer of grief!"

Tucker stopped mid stride and faced Rose. "If you are referring to the girl you reduced to tears that neither provoked you nor deserved your wrath, her name is Holly Coral. She is the sister of my dear friend and you had **no right** doing what you did tonight!" 

"You know not what's she's done! She doesn't deserve your pity!"

"What **she's** done!? Rose, you not only threathened her but if Mr. Coral had not shielded Keahi from your assault, he might had very well died! **What were you thinking!?** You are becoming a knight, Rose, you are to protect the common people, not take out your anger on them!"

"She is a criminal! The fact that she is allowed to live happily fully knowing of this is disgusting! The Corals are only encouraging her!" 

Tucker felt his anger close to boiling over, taking every part of him not to lash out at her. He took a breath to cool himself before continuing. "How lucky you are, Rose, to have been born into a loving family, always protected, always loved. You know nothing of starving for days at a time, wondering if you've been forgotten about or if you're being punished. Or the fear of failure that brings with it; beatings or worse. You have never felt the desperation of fleeing people who wish you nothing but harm, and will do whatever they please knowing if you are indeed caught. One might lose an eye, or say, a _hand_." Tucker lifted his limp hand into her. "If there was a way out, any way out, for example, using your magic in an attempt to get away, hoping your captors were caught in the crossfire, then I can assure you, Rose, **Id've done the exact same as Holly that day.** "

"Y-you have remembered!?"

"That i'm also a criminal deserving of your justice? You are so stuck on Holly's acts when you don't even know what i've done! I was fortunate to lose all my memories, never breathing a word of what I was forced to do in my early years!"

"N-no, you're different-!"

" **We are the same, her and I!** Do you think me heroic for throwing myself into the fire for you!? If you are so disgusted by Holly perhaps I should begin listing my crimes and you will soon forget my heroics and feel the same spite for me you do her!"

"My P-Prince-"

" **I am no prince! I am thief and a liar! I spent years with a knife at my back doing whatever was bid to me so I could continue living! Whatever you wish on Holly is also on my head!** " Tucker's shoulders dropped as he began to weep. "You know nothing of our pain and I will never fault her for trying to grasp freedom." Tucker removed the royal circlet adorning his head. He let it drop to the ground before turning away from it. "Your 'prince' is dead and Tucker the abandoned thief has returned in his place. I don't wish your protection nor do I deserve it in your eyes. The King and Queen are just encouraging me, I am nothing but a criminal and it is all i'll ever be, right?"

Rose's words turned against her was like a knife in her heart as the person she had made her purpose in life walked away from her, broken. She knelt down and grabbed his circlet before taking after him. "I'm sorry!" She pleaded. " _I'm so sorry, please don't go!_ "

"I'm not the one that needs an apology, you know that." Rose fell to her knees, her sorrow mixing with the rage she felt for Holly. Did she still want justice? Was there even any to be given? She held Tucker's circlet to her chest as she let her confusion out in tears. Tucker left her behind, entering into the castle to see Zidane and Dagger. He felt his heart breaking just looking upon them, they had heard everything. 

"Tucker-" 

"Please, I don't think I can handle anything else tonight, i'm tired and I can't think straight right now."

Dagger approached him and cupped his face with one of her hands. "Know that we love you, please don't think any different."

"...Thank you." Tucker managed out before he left them, taking slow steps to his room.

******

Morning arrived and Tucker awoke to the flapping of wings as a bevy of doves flew by his window. His body felt heavy as he rolled out of bed, stopping to set his feet on the floor. He noticed it was fairly later than his usual time he awoke. Usually, Rose would wake him and then she'd wait for him until he was presentable. They had morning classes and once they were over, she would stay by his side or be off to do duties. Evenings were the only time he she was never around. He tried to put her from his mind as he went to wash his face, the side of his eyes feeling like scales from the tears that refused to stop until he finally fell asleep. It wasn't long through his morning routine that there was a knock at the door. He didn't know whom it belonged to, but it wasn't Rose's heavy rapping he was used to.

"Come in." There was a pause from his visitor, a hesitation on whether they should enter or not. Just as Tucker opened his mouth to repeat himself, the door slowly opened revealing his parents.

"Hey kiddo, we've got some things to tell you, is now a good time?"

"...Yeah, now is fine." Tucker sat down on his bed while they filed in, taking two chairs from his table and sitting in front of him. 

"I'm not really sure where to start, but I guess I should ask what fully happened last night."

"Rose went after Holly. She overheard your conversation with Mr. Coral at the port and then decided to threaten Holly in revenge. I don't know everything she said, but it was enough to bring her to tears and have Keahi come after Rose in her defense. Keahi broke the fight off and Rose attacked him while his back was turned. Mr. Coral was patrolling the area and took the hit while I stepped in to stop Rose from doing anything further. We came home, you know the rest."

Dagger and Zidane shared a concerned look before turning back to their son. "Tucker, how long have your memories been back?"

"...Bits and pieces returned every once and awhile. Usually i'd have dreams about past experiences or something i'd do would bring a feeling of deja vu. I realized last night the last few missing pieces when I had Mr. Coral tell me the truth. Most if not all my memories are back now, for better or worse. I never wanted to upset you so I never brought it up."

"Oh Tucker...!" Dagger tried to hold her tears back. "You don't have to keep things bottled up for our sake! If you're suffering we're here for you!"

"I know, I-I know, but i'm n-not-" Tucker cut himself off, a lump rising in his throat. 

Zidane knew how Tucker had intended to end the sentence. He left his chair and kneeled down in front of his son, taking his hands in his. "Listen, you are our son, don't let anything or anyone tell you different. When you were made a page here, we not only wanted you to be able to live a somewhat normal life after all you'd been through, but your mother and I had every intention of adopting you once you got used to everything. It wasn't something we wanted to spring on you, but one day ask you if you wanted to be a part of our family as much as we wanted you to. Dagger and I can't have children, but we fell in love with you and wanted nothing more than to show you that. But, the steeple incident happened, and you became a blank slate, and I selfishly forced you into a new life, not even considering your feelings. I'm so sorry, Tucker. I hope one day you can forgive me, but I understand completely if you can't."

"O-of course I f-forgive you...!" Tucker let his tears begin to flow. "All I ever wanted was a place to call home, and you want me t-to be mad at you for giving me that and m-more!?"

Dagger left her chair and embraced her son. Zidane followed suit and the three of them remained as such until Tucker stopped shaking with sobs. She wiped away a few stray tears before kissing his forehead. "From now on, if anything troubles you, don't hesitate to confide in us, alright?" Tucker nodded at his mother and she replied with a smile. 

"You're a strong thing." Zidane ruffled his hair. "You let me talk some sense into Rose. I shouldn't have hidden the Holly thing from you all, might've saved all of you kids a load of grief." 

"I meant everything I said last night in regards to Holly. I refuse to let her be bullied for my sake, especially when I know everything about her circumstances."

"I know kiddo, let me worry about it." Zidane took Tucker's circlet from his belt and put it into his son's hands. "You just focus on being yourself, Tucker."

******

"Cory, you need to wake up." Holly tried to pry herself away from her friend whom had fallen asleep clutching Holly's arm. "You need to catch one of the airships to Treno today."

"Mmmyeahokay." Cornelia mumbled as Holly got her arm free.

Holly exited the bed and started looking through her drawers for a fresh pair of clothes. When she had returned last night she was met with nothing but affection from Lani and it combined with Amarant's words, Holly managed to calm herself. She spent the rest of the night chatting with Cornelia about all the different men she danced with and how many others she successfully flirted with before they both drifted off to sleep. She still couldn't quite convince herself that she had no fault in the steeple incident, but she couldn't change the past, only live in the present, for the future. Cornelia finally rose from the bed as Holly finished dressing.

"Mmmm, what time is it?"

"Breakfast time. I'm gonna go help make it. Come downstairs once you're awake." Cornelia lazily nodded as Holly left her room. She slowly descended the stairs to find both Lani and Keahi busy in the kitchen already, Amarant nowhere to be seen.

"Good morning Holly, how are you feeling this morning?" Lani gave Holly's hesitant look a smile. 

"Okay, I think? Can I help with anything?"

"Keahi and I have it under control here, but if you could set the table that'd be great!"

Holly went to the cupboard and filed her finger under four plates, and then five wondering if her father was still here.

"...Is Dad gone already?"

"Yeah, left and hour or so ago." Keai answered. 

Holly pulled out four plates and took them to the table. "I wanted to talk to him about something, I guess it'll wait until when he's back."

"That may or may not be awhile!" Lani chuckled. "But if it's something you think either of us can handle you can talk to me too. What do you need, love?"

"It's just something that came to me last night. Something that I want to do, but I don't know if it's the right thing or if mentioning it would make you upset with me."

"Mom has never gotten upset with you, Holly." 

"I'm not just talking about mom."

Lani and Keahi looked at each other. "Well, why don't you just spill what you're thinking about and we'll see how 'upset' it makes us." 

Holly sighed and then looked to both of them with determination in her eyes. "I want to pay for the the steeple and any other destruction I caused in Alexandria." 

******

Ferrington watched as his mother was putting in the final few supplies to her rucksack. Fratley was carefully organizing her armor beside her as she would be adorning it soon. The Eiko Garde I was on it's way and he felt the seconds as they ticked by. Holly's words echoed in his head and he fully knew if he didn't speak up now, he would lose sight of his dream all over again. 

"...Mom, Dad."

"Yes Ferrington?" Freya continued to pack.

"I need to talk to you about something." 

"It will have to quick, you know that the Eiko Garde I approaches"

"And that's exactly why I need to get this out before you're gone."

The tone in Ferrington's voice sparked concern in Freya and she turned to face him. "Very well, say what you need to."

Ferrington felt his stomach begin to tie itself into knots as he met Freya's eyes. He wavered for a moment. _'So you're willing to be unhappy for the rest of your life because you're too afraid to ask them for a bit of freedom?'_ clearly repeated itself only to his ears and he gained his courage back. "Mom, Dad, i'd like to ask your permission to allow me to go on a journey."

" **WHAT!?** " He heard Faye yell from upstairs followed by her bounding down the steps. "Ferri, are you serious!?"

" _Yes_ Faye, and i'd appreciate it if you kept yourself out of this."

"What brought this on so suddenly?" Fratley asked.

"It's been more of a slowly growing idea for a long time. There were a lot of things holding me back from asking, but i'm done with that. This is something I want to do, something i've wanted for a really long time." 

Freya crossed her arms and tried to search her son's eyes for wavering. "I want you to explain to me why. What purpose would your journey bring?"

"It's nothing grand, I just have this wanderlust that bids me to go and see everything i've read about, not just wonder how accurate the pictures are. The gusts of the Wind Shrine, the Snow of Esto Gaza, the lost technology of Oeilvert, you get the point. I want to get there with my own two feet and to feel it within me that I did. I know it's selfish, but I just can't let it go. Please let me go, I promise i'll return and continue my duties once i've finished."

"Wow, I guess Holly last night gave you a pep talk or something." Faye pointed out and Ferrington groaned.

"You spoke with her?" Freya asked.

"Ferri danced with her for a _really long time~_ " Faye teased. 

" **Faye, could you not right now?** "

"Faye, now is not the time for teasing. Please remain quiet." Fratley chided. 

"Fiiiine."

Freya closed her eyes, allowing her mind to both race and think things through. When she opened them, she met Ferrington's gaze again. "While you are an adult and you may do as you please, I am not convinced you are ready for such strenuous thing as a journey." 

"...Then what can I do to convince you?"

"You know the answer to that." Freya responded by grabbing her spear and exiting the house. Ferrington quickly did the same and met her where they trained in his days of youth.

"Shouldn't we put some armor on first?" He hesitated. 

"There is no time. You have until the Eiko Garde I arrives. Hold nothing back and show me you're as ready as you say you are. I will do the same so expect no handicaps." They both readied their weapons and prepared for who would strike first. Ferrington took the initiative, starting with the more advanced skill, Cherry Blossom, which his mother easily dodged with an immediate jump. He knew she would soon land and narrowly dodged the tip of her spear as it hit the ground. Dragon's Crest emanated from it and it was Ferrington's turn to jump. He felt he had never truly been in a real battle until now. Monsters were nothing and the Pelops thugs were pushovers compared to his mother's onslaught. He shuddered thinking about trying to fight both of his parents at once.

"Losing your nerve, Ferrington!?" Freya shouted at his ascending figure. "You will need more than your training to best me!" He knew that. She could do everything he could and better. His experience was nothing to hers, but still, his desire for his dream was strong, and he would show that to her. Ferrington landed on a nearby roof and let all of his excitement, fear, and longing bubble over. The glow of Trance overtook his figure and a well of energy he had never experienced became his to control. He knew how to act without being told of his new abilities. He tossed his spear and it became many, all aiming for Freya. "You really are a prodigy..." She mumbled as she moved to dodge. 

"Geez! They're going to really hurt each other! Shouldn't we stop them!?" Faye watched helplessly from afar.

"If I see a reason to, i'll step in, but for now, just watch and see who comes out victorious."

With all of Ferrington's spears missing their mark, he instead decided to go back to close combat, hoping the Trance would hold on long enough to land a meaningful blow. They both lunged for one another once his feet hit the ground, sparks spitting from their spears as they clashed. 

"You're just as I was all those years ago, full of strength but no direction on where to use it. Our motivations are different, but in time you may yield the same results." Freya knocked Ferrington back and then relaxed her stance. The Eiko Garde I flew overhead and Ferrington's Trace faded. He wanted to throw down his spear in anger. He had done nothing but flail around desperately. His dream was gone. Freya approached his shaking figure and embraced it. "Go with my blessing."

"Wh-what!? You're letting me go? But I didn't do anything!"

"If you're so riled up that you let yourself slip into Trance, that is enough proof to me that you wish for this from the bottom of your soul. You are free to travel, however-"

"There it is."

"I want you to write your father and sister, let them know of your location at least. Are we clear?"

"I'm pretty sure I can manage that!"

"Good, keep your wits about you and don't do anything reckless."

"Hah, i'll try not to. Thanks, Mom."

"I feel as if that is the first genuine smile you've given me since your childhood. I pray it be a good omen of many more to come."


	35. Failures

Tucker had excused himself from the castle for a small while. When he had heard that Quina was heading out to gather ingredients for that evening's dinner, he tagged along. His muscle memory kicked in for the gondola as the two of them started their slow wade into the city. 

"You not need to come with me, Tucker. I can do myself!"

"Hey, any reason to take a break from my princely schedule is welcome right now. Also, you're not a spring chocobo anymore, you shouldn't be overexerting yourself."

"Rude! But not wrong. I appreciate help, despite sharp tongue."

"Sorry, sorry, you know I meant well."

"So did Rose."

Tucker stopped his rowing for a moment, ignoring his hit nerve before continuing. "She may have meant well, but it doesn't mean she was right."

"I didn't say she right. I say she meant well. You two are young, young people make mistakes!"

"The problem is, Quina, that she believes that she was completely in the right."

"So did Zidane when he try to abandon us all in Terra, but he came around. He made mistake, he apologize, we forgive. Will you do the same?"

Tucker mulled over the situation. Rose has taken to locking herself in her quarters after her parents shared their disappointment in her behaviour. While he wasn't fond of her current attitude, the Rose he had spent time with before his memory loss sprung to mind. The steeple incident changed her into what she was now, and she had yet to get over it. He was what helped her cope, and now that he was 'gone' she no longer had anything to grasp at for comfort. "...I suppose I would, if she ever figures out what she did was wrong."

"She will! She surrounded by kind people! When you two make up, i'll make celebratory cake!"

" **No frogs in it**." 

"Hey, that one time!"

"Out of the two birthdays i've celebrated here, one of them had frogs baked into my cake!" Their playful banter continued into the city, Tucker following behind Quina, holding piles of ingredients for whatever s/he was making as they browsed many market stalls. While Tucker entertained the thought of getting over his anger towards Rose, a familiar mop of red hair caught his eye among the crowd. 

"Keahi?"

"What that? Your friend here?"

"Uh, maybe? I thought I just saw him."

"Is this day when he visits?"

"I don't think so."

"Well then-" Quina grabbed all the ingredients from Tucker's arms. "Go say hello!"

"Are you sure?"

"I need to go back to gondola anyways. Meet me there when you finish!"

"Thanks, Quina!" Tucker quickly went after the direction he thought he saw Keahi go. He went into the alley, past Ruby's mini theatre, and out into the small port. He spotted Keahi immediately, and beside him was Holly, both of which were looking at the roped off lot where the steeple once stood. Tucker hesitated for a moment, seeing the melancholy in Holly's eyes, but he called out to them all the same. "Keahi, Holly-!" He waved at them. While Keahi was surprised, Tucker's heart dropped when he saw fear struck Holly at the sight of him. She seemed to involuntarily hide behind her brother as he approached. 

"It's weird meeting you outside of the castle." Keahi tried to act normally. 

"Well, I can't always be cooped up in there! This is the first time we've seen each other twice in one week!"

"Yeah, that's right..." They both shared an awkward laugh before failing to continue the conversation. Keahi decided to drop the pleasantries. "Hey, are you... Ok? When you left the party you looked like you had seen a ghost."

"Yeah... Yeah i'm alright now, thanks. There's a lot to think about, but i'll get through it." Tucker reassured.

"Aren't you upset that I hid everything from you?"

"What? No! Why would I be? You helped me get through my vegetative state to a sense of normalcy. I was only able to make it this far because of people like you that treated by normally! Do you want us to stop being friends just because my memories are back?" 

"No way, you're the only good person to practice Tetra Master with!"

Tucker laughed, same old Keahi. "With that out of the way, how are you two doing? Your dad took quite a blow and... Holly, I can't even begin to apologize for what Rose did."

"First off, Dad's fine. He shrugged it off and Mom healed him up properly when he got home. And Holly, stop hiding behind me, forget Rose's empty threats."

"I'm _trying_ , just give me a few moments to collect myself!" Holly slowly moved from her hiding place. 

Tucker had every intention of properly introducing himself to his friend's sister at the ball before the entire mess started. He vaguely remembered her from the Festival of the Hunt banquet Eiko had prepared before Pelops came and took her again. He felt suddenly sick, remembering back then that her left eye wasn't covered with a patch. "Did... Did the boss take your eye?" Holly looked taken aback, but she nodded, remembering Tucker was also once part of the nightmare she wished to forget. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything." 

"No, it's alright. She's nothing but a coward. Dad will find her and we can start putting all of this behind us."

"Yeah, you're right. You don't have to do this to yourself, visiting this lot. It's not your fault, it's her's."

"Be that as it may, I still used my magic to burn down the steeple. That is a fact. We came here today so I could asses the damage-" Holly dug into bag and then presented a bundle to Tucker. "-So I could properly pay for my deed, and the possible rebuilding of the steeple. I was planning on sending Keahi to the castle with this, but you're here now, so, please take it."

Tucker took the bundle from her and quickly peeked inside to see a huge amount of gil. He immediately shoved it back into her hands. " **No.** " Tucker firmly objected. 

"Yes." Holly calmly replied, pushing it back towards him. "This isn't about my guilt, it's about wanting to move on. Dad said something to me on the night of the ball that I want to always keep with me. That the past doesn't matter, and that we should live in the present, for the future. I can't change the fact that I burned it down, that I almost killed you and Rose, but my present self wants to set things right, by paying for the damage I caused, so my future self doesn't have to feel regret over it. Please, take it. I know it won't magically make everything right, but I believe it's step one."

Tucker reluctantly took the bundle back, fighting with himself against her words. "You'll make her cry if you give it back, so don't." Keahi added. 

"I'll... Deliver it to my parents."

Holly's worried expression broke away into a relieved smile. "Thank you!"

******

"Rose, you cannot hide in your quarters forever." Steiner knocked on the locked door. "Nothing will be solved this way."

No answer, not that he really expected one. He was once again at a loss on how to approach his daughter. Steiner crossed his arms in thought, wondering if he should continue to try and communicate or if Beatrix would have a better idea. What Rose had done would no doubt have her stripped of her rank and kicked out of the knighthood, but she was still designated as a page. A page that went out of their way to threaten and injure people directly related to his King's inner circle, which Steiner himself was a part of. Steiner understood her logic, but it was filled with holes, holes that Rose chose to fill with her own rage instead of the facts. Now faced with the truth of the situation and its implications, she was lost. 

"I see nothing has made her budge." Zidane approached his mulling friend. 

"...Indeed, I am at a loss. I must request your aid again, sire. Please forgive me for this." 

"Steiner, i'm here whenever you, Rose, or anyone needs me. However, I will admit I that I was planning on talking to her regardless." Zidane lifted his cape to show the key to Rose's room tied to his belt.

"Always one step ahead of me, as usual."

"I think it's more rather us both thinking of the same idea, just following through differently. Stay nearby, I have no idea how well this is going to go." Zidane approached the door and gently knocked on it. "Rose, I need to speak with you, are you fit to be seen?" There was still no answer causing Zidane to switch to the authoritative voice he adopted in recent years. " ** _Rose_** , answer me."

"...I am here." A weary voice cracked.

Zidane looked back to Steiner who quickly nodded, giving him permission to continue. "I'm coming in." Zidane turned the key and was met with a breeze as soon as the door was opened. Rose had taken to sitting on a chair by her window, letting the wind blow her hair about as she aimlessly watched the pages of a book flip by, it resting on her lap. She hardly acknowledged Zidane as he sat down on the ground in front of her, waiting for her attention. The pages of the book reached their end, and Rose closed it, only to flip it over and let the sequence begin again. "What are you doing?" Zidane asked. 

"Looking for answers." Rose replied. 

Zidane's eyes went to the book's binding to see the beginnings of the words 'Memoria' peeking out. "The chronicles of mine, your father's and the rest of our friend's journey are not really meant to be a reference book. I doubt you'll find what you need from it." Zidane grabbed the book from her lap and closed it, finally making him what Rose's focus was on. "And I don't really think you need an answer, but rather you need to understand what's already been said."

Zidane readjusted his position to standing and shut the window. He found himself staring at the familiar sight of his kingdom as he started again."I'm gonna tell you a bit of a story. It's not one i've told many, but you need to hear it. As you've read many times, I stayed behind at the Iifa Tree after everything. All everyone knows if I eventually made it back. Kuja was still alive and there was a part of me that refused to leave him there to die. While I was able to find him, it wasn't able to save him. To make things worse, the Iifa Tree's violent writhing seemed to make us a target, trying to take my life just as Kuja's had left. I shouldn't have survived, but I had no choice, I had to live. I was in complete darkness, my body was screaming in pain, I could hardly move. The normal thing to do may have been to panic or give up, but I instead sang the song the Queen and I had shared on our journey. It gave me comfort as I fell into a deep sleep, only wishing to come home."

Zidane turned to Rose, who was listening intently. "When I came to, I was in the Black Mage Village. I managed to find Vivi's grave before I passed out again, my body broken and in dire need of proper rest. However, as I drifted off, I knew that I didn't make it there on my own. Just as Kuja had used his powers to transport all of us from an impossible battle, I'm positive he did it for me once again. In his final moments, he discovered what it meant to live, but he believed he was useless. He proved himself wrong by saving us all. There is so much to hate about Kuja and what he did, but if we here today, I can guarantee he would have done everything in his being to put everything right. There are things he did that couldn't be fixed or lives that couldn't be brought back, but he'd take the steps to atonement if he was allowed." 

Zidane took a moment to collect himself before continuing. "Which is why, I don't want you to see Holly, Tucker, or any of the other kids as enemies for what they've done. Kuja and I were created for the sole purpose of destroying Gaia, but in the end, we both overcame our predestined purposes and defied our fate. Tucker and Holly were both raised to be thieves against their wills, but they both broke away from their shackles and are doing their best to live. It may take you awhile to fully find the forgiveness for Holly's act of burning down the steeple, but here's what you need to understand. You forgot the most important part or mine and Amarant's conversation you eavesdropped on. I was so caught up in the bliss of peace that I didn't even realize what was going on with Pelops until Tucker showed up. You can blame Holly all you like, but it will never change the fact that my indiscretion allowed them their freedom. If I had actually done my job and not continually be drunk on bliss, I could've stopped all of this before it happened. No Pelops would mean no Holly kidnapped, and no desperate escape attempt, resulting in a steeple burning with you inside it."

"B-But, no-"

"I've failed everyone involved, and I'm sorry, Rose. The only one you should blame is me."

"You are not solely to blame!" Steiner appeared in the doorframe. "Do not take everything upon yourself once again!"

"Well, my soul isn't about to be ripped out if that's what you're worried about." Zidane retorted. 

"Nay, I am more worried that you are going to give into your recklessness! I know that look in your eyes!"

"...You caught me, care to guess what happens next?"

Steiner sighed tiredly and answered. "You're going to go after the leader of Pelops yourself."

"Close! I'm going to go meet up with the others at Daguerreo. I asked them to wait for me there, but I couldn't just leave our kids here like this. Dagger already knows and i'll be off soon."

"I would offer my services as well-"

"-But I need you here. I've got Amarant and Freya plus my Tantalus brothers. You keep yourself here and keep things in order until i'm back, alright?"

"Of course." Steiner saluted. "What are your orders for Rose?" Rose flinched at her name being said, still trying to take in what she had been told.

"I actually have something I specifically want her to do. Rose, do I have your attention?"

"Y-yes!" She stood up and saluted as well. 

"We can consider this a punishment as you did raise your blade against a civilian, and while it was Amarant and he's fine, we can't have you doing that again."

"I- yes, you are right, I am not worthy to be a knight." Rose replied.

"You're not a knight yet, Rose, you're training to be one. You are a page still and I'm going to assign you a job that both fits your role and will hopefully get you back to your old self."

"I will accept whatever task you bid."

"That's good, because its important. See, Tucker went for a stroll in the city earlier where he bumped into Keahi and Holly. Holly had come here to firsthand see her destruction and wishes to set things right. She handed off her savings to us so that the steeple might be rebuilt. It's what she wants to do to help, and i'm putting you in charge of its reconstruction. Use Holly's money appropriately to gather materials and workers, and then oversee the project until it is finished. It'll be a good chance for you to reflect and think things through. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, sire. I won't let you down again."

"I'll do the same for you, I promise."

******

"How is your wound?" Freya approached Amarant who was mindlessly watching the clouds go by. 

"Nonexistent, how do you even know about that?"

"Lani was fussing over you as you left your house. I was on the roofs, taking in the sunrise when I happened to see the exchange." 

"No wonder you joined me so quickly on the way to the castle."

Freya chuckled at his scowl. "My apologies, it wasn't at all on purpose. Are you truly fine?"

"Yeah, it healed up fine. Nothing to worry about." 

"...May I ask what happened?"

Amarant glanced out the windows of the Eiko Garde I again to see their destination nowhere in sight. There was time to kill. "A bunch of drama. It ended with Rose taking her anger out on Keahi, which happened to be a Tranced version of Shock. I took the blow. End of story."

"Surely not! You're leaving out a lot of details! Why was Rose attacking Keahi!? Where was Faye and Ferrington in all of this!?" 

"Oblivious, probably. They weren't anywhere to be seen after the fact."

"Interesting, I was told by Faye that Ferrington spent quite a bit of time with Holly."

"When they were dancing together."

"Oh? Is that a bit of edge I hear in your voice? I can promise you that Ferrington has no ulterior motives." Freya teased.

"She has enough to deal with already, so i'd hope so."

"...Rose attacking Keahi has to do with Holly."

"Yeah. We figured out Holly burned the steeple down trying to run from Pelops. Rose threatened her, Keahi defended her. It's a mess but i'm sure Zidane is sorting it out."

"My word..." Freya lamented "We need to hurry and find this so called 'leader'. I refuse to let her hurt another...!"

"We're close, and hopefully with some new intel, she'll never get the chance to."


	36. Roots

The sound of shattered glass accompanied by a small explosion echoed off the the walls of a room deep within Daguerreo. It was followed by a groan of exasperation as the cause of all the noise looked down at their failed experiment. They had lost count how many times they had tried to put their theory to work, and they began trying to count the attempts as they picked up the shards of yet another aquamarine they destroyed. The glimmer it held faded once it was no longer whole, indicating all it's magic properties were now null. Still, they pulled out a box containing all the previous attempts shards and added the current mess to it. It was half a reminder to keep trying and half wondering if there was still uses for them in the future. They pushed it back into it's place and pulled out another box containing ore, which they discovered was in short supply. There were three, they needed at least four for the Leviathan Altar to convert the drab stones into an aquamarine. Another exasperated groan. 

"You're being annoying." Mikoto hardly looked up from her writing through the entire ordeal. "I'm used to the explosions, but your sighing is grating, Tem. Take a break before we both lose patience." 

"I'm going to have to anyways. I don't have enough ore to keep going."

"Again? Didn't Gilgamesh fully fill your stash the last time he was here?"

"That was two months ago!" Tem growled. "Where is that guy anyways!? I'm pretty sure I told him to come back every month! His stupid brother probably dragged them somewhere useless again!"

"If my airship wasn't still broken, i'd go search for him myself, but we're both stuck here it seems."

"Right, your friends still aren't here. You sure they're coming?"

"I wouldn't call them my friends, but yes, they will arrive in due time."

"They're... Strangers then? Who did you invite here?"

"Zidane Tribal Alexandros I and Amarant Coral, along with whoever they bring along."

Tem felt a spark of anxiety in her stomach hearing their names. "...Wait, you mean the **king** of Alexandria is coming **_here?_** "

"Yes? Is that an issue?"

"W-well, no, but-" Tem looked over the office as a cold sweat hit her. "This place is a mess, there's nowhere for them to sit, and i'm going to have to show off my notes to them!? Not to mention the fact that they're hardly coherent!"

"I can read them fine."

"That's because you're used to me! Oh gods...!" Tem hastily pushed the ore box back in it's place and started at one corner of the office, tearing down notes from the walls, muttering to herself as she attempted to sort them. "When were they going to be here!?"

"We already established that I don't know. It could be today, it could be a few more days. Why are you so flustered? It is just Zidane and his friends."

"Says his sister! Mikoto, i'm going to look like a quack and perhaps an insult if I don't prepare properly! Why are they visiting again?"

"The Iifa Tree's rot and the moving roots."

"Right! Oooh that's exciting! I can't talk to anyone but you and Gil about that without looking like a loon! Maybe we'll get a breakthrough!"

"Perhaps-" A knock interrupted and Tem's excitement turned to panic.

"Excuse me, is this the office of Ms. Tem?" Freya's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Yes it is, come in-" Mikoto answered.

" **NOOO!** " Tem screeched.

Mikoto looked at her friend in disbelief as Tem's eyes screamed for help. Mikoto rolled hers and then opened the door, letting herself out before closing it behind her. Freya's face was full of confusion as Mikoto met the group. "My apologies, Tem is a bit, overwhelmed at the moment. I neglected to tell her who was visiting and she's in the middle of getting organized." There was a crash followed by a scream. Mikoto shook her head and opened the door a crack. "Are you alright?"

" **CLOSE THE DOOR!** " Tem pushed the door back. "Um, i'm really sorry! Give me, uh, fifteen minutes to sort some things out! I'll meet you all out by the Leviathan Altar!"

Tem's shuffling continued as Mikoto tried to read the faces of all in attendance, some irritated, some still confused. She noticed that Zidane was not among them. "Zidane is not here?"

"He's coming later," Cinna answered "Had a few things to take care of." 

"Should we wait for him?"

"No, whatever you tell us we'll relay to him." Amarant reassured. 

"Very well, I will help Tem with her organizing, please wait for us at the Leviathan Altar." Mikoto finished and entered back into the office.

"Well, that's that, let's wait for the ladies while they collect themselves." Blank immediately turned back down the hall and everyone followed.

"That's Zidane's sister, right? I always thought she was a myth." Marcus joked. 

"Did you skim Memoria or actually read it?" Cinna jabbed.

"I did, when it first came out. It's been awhile. Besides, we've never seen 'nother Genome besides Zidane. They're all holed up in that village." 

"Not all of them! There's a kid Genome living at the castle now! He reminds me a lot of Zidane when we were all little. In fact, the boss was visiting Cid the other day and almost had a heart attack when he saw the kid! Thought he'd been thrown back in time!" Cinna added. The three of them laughed and continued chatting about old times while Freya and Amarant hung behind. 

"There is a Genome child at the castle?" Freya asked.

"Yeah, Nini brought him to live there. There's something off about him."

"Off?"

"As in, he's been expressing emotions despite not having a soul. I'm not saying they're all emotionless drones, but this kid was bawling his eyes out."

"Really? How curious. Is he alright now?"

"Not sure, but i'm sure Eiko will keep an eye on him when Nini's not. When this is over maybe we'll get some answers." 

Time quickly flew by as they reached the Leviathan Altar and Tem soon joined them, Mikoto in tow, holding several items in her arms. "I'm _so_ sorry! Mikoto brought me up to speed so I won't waste anymore of your time! _I don't even need any of my notes...!_ " Tem tried to hide her jitters.

"Please, we need as much information as possible, a few extra minutes is nothing." Freya noticed Tem's shaking figure, hoping to calm her.

"Just start at the beginning, I haven't had time to explain anything to anyone here." Amarant added.

Tem nodded, trying not to be intimidated. She was hardly out of her office these days, and now was to present her theories to people that weren't Mikoto or Gilgamesh!? She took a breath and smoothed her hair down, trying to calm herself. "Tem," Mikoto's voice broke through. "Everything is fine. They're good people. Don't worry." Tem looked to Mikoto who was sporting a kinder expression she wasn't used to seeing, but it was just what she needed to continue. Tem cleared her throat and started over.

"My name is Tem, i'm a magic researcher and an aspiring mage. Myself, Mikoto, and currently our absent Gilgamesh have been devoting our time to a current issue that seems to be coinciding with what you're all currently doing." Tem gave Mikoto a nod and she placed all the items in her arms down. She began fiddling with one of them that looked slightly familiar to Freya and Amarant. Mikoto finished her work and stepped back from the rusted looking disc, a yellow light suddenly pouring out of it. It flickered for a moment before it formed a globe.

"Wait, this is from Oeilvert isn't it?" Freya spoke up.

"Correct! Gilgamesh found a broken, let's call these; holographs discs, inside of Oeilvert and brought it back to me. I got it working again and modified it. I've been using it for various simulations. The one we want to show you is this one-" Tem bent down to touch it and the globe morphed into a planet. "This is Gaia as it is today using modern maps. However, we need to focus on what lies underneath." Tem touched it again and a large amount of lines started drawing themselves all over Gaia."

"The roots." Amarant stated. 

"You got it. While not 100% accurate, this sums up the Iifa Tree's influence. It literally holds this planet together. All of you know this i'm sure. What all of you might not know is that the Iifa Tree has begun to rot. Mikoto believes it's Gaia's natural defense kicking in as it no longer needs the tree's strength to live, thus slowly killing it." On cue, Mikoto grabbed a glass tube containing one of the flowers from the tree's surrounds. Everyone's eyes fell on it for the moment. "We confirmed the rot by not only the tree's changing colour, but the roots around the tree have started essentially fertilizing the ground, giving birth to these flowers. We believe them to be a remnant of the young Gaia that were destroyed and then suppressed by the Iifa Tree. I've tried to find record of them, but there is nothing that matches their appearance."

"They have reached the mountains, but not yet past it. This confirms the rot is slow, but still active nonetheless." Mikoto added.

"And if we don't find a way to stop it," Tem touched the disc again, the roots disappeared and the continents began to collapse into themselves. "Disaster will strike. Maybe not in our lifetime, but i'd like to make sure it doesn't happen at all. Which brings me to our next concern; the moving roots. Gilgamesh has reported seeing them move, but we had nothing but his word until now. You all have experienced this phenomenon and are investigating it, yes?" 

"It's mixed into something else were doing. There was this thief group called Pelops that was going around kidnapping kids, and their leader has the ability to move the roots. They were using them to hide. We mapped out the roots and made note every time one of them shifted, using their sloppy work to track down every last member in the group, except the leader themself." Blank answered. 

"Interesting, and terrifying. Have any of you see them move yourselves?"

"Amarant's kid has, right?" Cinna looked to him.

"Yeah, she said she saw them stretch upwards and then back into place once the goons exited."

Tem brought her fist to her mouth, deep in thought. "...An Eidolon." She eventually uttered. 

"That's the conclusion we came to as well." Freya confirmed. "If the tree is dead, it would be impossible for it to move on it's own, and simple spells are not strong enough to do such things. We all know firsthand the power of Eidolons, witnessing their capabilities during the war. A summoner besides the few survivors we know of seems unlikely, but it must be one."

"You're right, but you're also a bit wrong." Tem mused. "Summoning is not as complicated or as special as you're assuming it to be."

"...What do you mean?"

"Well, summoning is just like magic. It requires a person's magical energy to be consumed for the reaction we desire. Summoners have a special ability they're born with, they can communicate with Eidolons and memorize the spell to call on them by owning the corresponding jewel said Eidolon as an affinity with. Ramuh to peridots, Shiva to opals, and so on. Summoning to a summoner is effortless, it comes naturally. But with the right catalysts, a 'normal' person could possibly use the jewels despite not being able to communicate with Eidolons. You know this already, the Queen of Alexandria used the Princess' extracted Eidolons in the war. I wasn't there, but it's said in Memoria that she used armies of Black Mages and their magic to summon."

Freya's memory of Odin haunted her for a moment before she saw a hole in Tem's claims. "You are right, but she needed literal armies of mages to get the summoning to work. Do you think the Pelops leader has armies of mages at her disposal? Surely not!"

"No, I just think they're a very talented mage. One doesn't have to be a Black Mage to excel at magic. If one has the right amount of magic energy and enough focus, they could summon if they wanted to."

"And your proof for this is the moving roots?" Amarant eyed Tem with disbelief. 

"Sure, but if you want something you can witness with your own eyes, I can oblige." Tem dug into one of the pockets of her jacket and procured a gemstone. "This is a diamond. While it has no recorded summon associated with it, I personally felt it odd. Eidolons produce gemstones with the purpose of giving them to their future master and being extracted from a master also creates gemstones. Gemstones, in theory, should not exist without first being tied to an Eidolon. There are odd instances with objects like the Leviathan Altar that exchanges ore into aquamarines, but it is the _Leviantian_ altar, hinting at the Eidolon's power being present. With that in mind, it should also be noted at not every summoner can summon every Eidolon. Memoria states that both Eiko and Dagger summoned Alexander together with their efforts, but neither of them were able to do it on their own afterwards. Also, they both have the ability to summon Eidolons the other cannot, am I right?" 

"...Yes. You are surprisingly knowledgeable about this." Freya noted.

"I've spent my entire life researching magic and magical beings, it's what I do. So, back to the diamond, it theoretically has an Eidolon attached to it that neither of the last surviving summoners can communicate with, and no record of said Eidolon exists. But I assure you, with the right spell, and the right amount of focus-!" Tem's palms hummed with magic, an incredibly large Confusion spell spilled from her fingertips and poured into the diamond, and after a flash from said gem, a small figure appeared before them. A black cat, standing on it's hind legs, red boots on it's feet, white gloves on it's hands, and a green cape dangling behind it, was suddenly among the group. It looked at each of them with perpetually closed eyes, before turning to Tem.

"Woah! That cat is walking on it's hind legs!" Cinna excitedly blurted. 

" _Excuse you_ , I am no cat! I am Cait Sith, and you best mind your manners!" It hissed at Cinna. 

"It talked!" Marcus took a step back involuntarily. 

"What Eidolon can't? Honestly, I do hope you called upon me not to just be a spectacle!" Cait Sith griped at Tem. 

"That's pretty much it. I was proving that Eidolons are not exclusive to summoners if the right conditions are met. Sorry to bother you."

"Humph! Well I suppose I can forgive you this one time, I was a bit bored today. But don't call me again unless you need me! Got it!?"

"I promise!"

Cait Sith, satisfied with Tem's apology, faded away. Tem held her head in pain and Mikoto quickly acted, catching Tem before she fell. "Are you alright!?" Freya knelt down to Tem's descending figure. 

"I'll be ok." Tem allowed herself into a sitting position and Mikoto let her go. "The after effects of a non summoner calling upon an Eidolon probably ranges depending on various factors, but mine is instant fatigue. I can combat it if I really try, but today is not one of those days."

"Well, you proved your point." Amarant acknowledged. "If we're dealing with someone who can summon, we'd best be prepared."

"How prepared can we be? How are we supposed to fight an Eidolon? We can't!" Blank stressed.

"Go for the the gem, not the beast from it. Get the gemstone away from the 'summoner' and shatter it. The magic keeping it there will fade, in theory." Tem pointed out. 

"That we can probably do! We were thieves after all!" Cinna smirked.

"Just keep in mind," Mikoto interjected. "That one powerful enough to summon an Eidolon is likely not one to be trifled with. A reminder that Kuja had initially planned on using Eidolons before he achieved Trance, and i'm sure I don't need to remind you how powerful he was. Even without the Invincible, he would have no doubt been able to command them."

"If you're lucky, maybe they'll be a pushover like me!" Tem grinned.

"Pushover or not, you've given us some important insights. It will be hard to explain most of this to Zidane." Freya marveled.

"He knows about the tree and the roots issue, the summoning stuff, he'll believe it if it's coming out of our mouths." Amarant confirmed.

"That's good, because I don't think Cait Sith would appreciate me dragging him over here again. His patience only lasts so long." Tem got herself back on her feet. "I'll get you all rooms at the inn until the king arrives. If you need anything else, i'll do my best to help out."

"Actually, I need to talk to you, privately." Amarant approached Tem.

"Oh, sure? Is the office alright? It's clean now..." Tem trailed off.

"Whatever works." Tem motioned toward the office and the two of them left the group while Mikoto led the rest towards the inn. Tem tried to not let herself be intimidated by Amarant's stature as he trailed behind her, his noticeable shadow overtaking hers. She opened the office door and immediately went for her desk

"Sorry, i'm gonna need to sit down, still recovering and all that. If this will take a while, feel free to take a chair from wherever."

"I'm fine standing. I'll make this as quick as possible." Amarant took out the sketchbook and then slid it to Tem. "Do you recognize this?"

Tem gingerly opened the book and flipped a few pages. "Oh, _OH-!_ This was her sketchbook! I haven't seen this in ages! Where did you find this?"

"In the airship Mikoto is using. There's a page I tagged, do you recognize the girl in the drawing?"

Tem quickly flipped to it and immediately nodded. "Yes, yes I do. Did... Did you know my mother and sister?"

"You're what?"

Tem met Amarant's questioning yet urging glare, and answered him with little hesitation.

"...My mother and sister. This sketchbook belonged to my mother. She was a fallen noble in Treno who was disgraced over my birth. She eventually caught the eye of a nobleman who promised her redeemed, if she ostracized me. She married him and within their agreement, I was sent here to be in the care of one of the philosophers. I didn't see her again until Memoria had made its rounds. Her new husband became an adventurer, hungry for knowledge, and arrived here with his family. Gilgamesh was with them, he was their bodyguard of sorts, but I had known him growing up, so he eventually became this mediator between us. I was a bastard child, unworthy in the eyes of them, but I was also the most knowledgeable about what they were seeking. They brought me their findings, I translated them, and then they would leave again, not once interacting with me. Eventually, I tired of the farce, I confronted them, and we all blew up at one another. They severed their ties with Gilgamesh, and left in a huff for the Iifa Tree, their child in tow..." Tem's eye's watered as she finished. 

"And there they perished. You met Mikoto soon after."

"...Yes, that's right. I guess she told you the story how she knew it. I'm s-sorry, but-" Tem stopped to wipe away a tear. "What purpose do you have showing me this?"

"I wanted to ask you if you knew the kid in the picture, because she's alive."

"What, you're joking! Are you trying to make me angry!?"

"No, i'm not. My wife and I adopted an orphan from Pelops, and she looks just like the kid in the picture, but older. She doesn't have many memories of her early childhood, but it's too much of a coincidence, her likeness to the drawing. I thought i'd ask for her sake." Tem closed the sketchbook and swallowed the lump in her throat. Could she have survived the Iifa Tree and somehow clung onto life still? Tem thought her dead, she thought it her fault. "I don't know if this would be further proof, but she has potential to be a powerful mage. Your show out there is probably something she could also manage with proper training. If you two are sisters, having similar abilities wouldn't be too far fetched."

"Oh gods...!" Tem sobbed. "I need... I need to see her with my own eyes. I want to believe you, If it really is her, I don't know how I should begin to apologize. Recovering lost time is one thing, but, it's my fault she-!" Tem broke into a sob, covering her eyes, desperately trying to stop her tears. Amarant held his tongue, almost wanting to point out that she and Holly seemed to also share the trait of blaming themselves for things out of their control. 

"...I'll send a letter to her and we'll see how she responds. Once Zidane get's here, we're gonna have to leave, but if I know Holly, she'll find a way here."

"H-Holly? That's w-what she goes by?"

"It is, she doesn't remember her birth name."

Tem's tears ceased as a giggle fell from her mouth. "I don't remember mine either, or hers for that matter!" Tem leaned back in her chair and looked wistfully at the ceiling. "Gods, what a damn mess!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Cait_Sith_(Final_Fantasy_VI)
> 
> I wanted to include summons from previous games in this story as it's hinted in the game that there were more that couldn't be summoned for whatever reason. The stones that have no Eidolons attached to them were a perfect opportunity and i've done my best to explain the reasons here. As the lost summons are very plot important, expect to see more. I will link each one mentioned in case there is any confusion 
> 
> And speaking of confusion, the spell that Tem used is meant to coincide with who she summoned. In the game, Queen Brahne uses the Black Mages to summon Bahamut, my thoughts are likely any variation Fire to do so. I decided to do the same with FFVI's Cait Sith who's main attack is to cast confusion. Also, I chose the diamond because FFVII's variation of Cait Sith has a luxurious(gambling) moveset(Limit Breaks) and Diamonds are luxurious. Also, the Gimmie cat, because they're both cats and I thought it'd be funny that both cat beings are partial to diamonds. He's also not a very high level summon so I don't think it too out of the ordinary for him to be summoned without an army of mages. 
> 
> And in conclusion, if you've made it this far through my colossal fic, I applaud you. Thank you for reading this far. It's still got aways to go, but the end is in sight.


	37. Hobbies

"I'm not very good at this..." Mr. 555 looked at his hand of Tetra Master cards. 

"No one is when they first start out!" Nini encouraged him. 

"Yeah, I was awful when I first started." Keahi placed a card down and waited for Mr. 555's move.

"I still am..." Holly added. 

"Then will I not improve at all?" Mr. 555 scrutinized his cards, trying to figure out their markings.

"It depends on how much you play! I hardly touch the game, but for Keahi, it's his way of life. He's good because he never stops playing." Holly teased. Mr. 555 gave Keahi a concerned look.

"Oi, don't put weird ideas into his head. It's my _hobby_ and i'm passionate about it."

"Hobby? What is a hobby?"

"It's uh, something that you like and uh- Mom, how would you describe a hobby?" Keahi looked back to Lani, busy in the kitchen of their house. 

The break from school was in full swing. Holly and Mr. 555 were fully expected to enroll once it was over, but there were several months to burn before then. While Eiko had become completely engrossed with her duties, Nini and Mr. 555 took to leaving her to focus on them, either strolling around the kingdom or spending time with the Coral siblings. Lani enjoyed their company and did her best to accommodate the newly forming friend circle. Eiko was no longer present to drag them around and the Crescent siblings were graduated, moving on to whatever they wished. 

"A hobby is something someone does with their free time. It can be playing Tetra Master, collecting something, or even taking up a weapon. As long as you enjoy it and specifically devote time to it, it's a hobby. It _can_ become your way of life. I originally started hunting monsters for sport, but then I realized I could earn gil for it and it became more of a goal of how much money I could earn instead of bettering myself. There's nothing wrong with making your hobby into a career, but don't let it blind you from what's important. Does that make sense?"

"I think so... Do you all have hobbies?"

"You've seen my side of the room! I collect bugs, that's mine!" Nini answered.

"We're participating in mine." Keahi gestured with the cards.

"I'm not sure if I really have one yet, but I do like reading." Holly added. 

Mr. 555's face twisted in confusion. "I enjoy reading as well, can people share hobbies?"

"Sure, Tetra Master is popular all over Gaia. It's not just my thing." 

The confusion left his face, bringing it back to the usual blank stare. "I think I understand now. Thank you." 

"You're very welcome!" Lani placed a plate of various snacks on the table. "Why don't you take a break from Tetra Master for a bit. It won't be long until you all have a play to see, right?"

There were thank yous around the table while all but Mr. 555 started to partake of the food. Lani took time to explain every item to him and watched his reactions, making mental notes on which he reacted the best to once finally eating. She felt like she was watching Holly all over again, knowing Mr. 555 was too polite, or just not understanding on how to be blunt about his likes and dislikes. Soon, they heard the Theatre District's bell chime, indicating that the show they were going to attend was next. The four of them excitedly exited the Coral household, tickets in hand. 

"Could you explain to me again what a 'play' is?" Mr. 555 asked as they boarded the air taxi.

"People act out a story for an audience. It's like, instead of reading a book, you get to watch it." Keahi tried to explain. 

"And we get see something you've already read today! Lord Avon's _Wishing Upon A Star_. I told Eiko you really liked it and she got us the tickets!" Nini raved.

"She didn't have to do that..." Mr. 555 mumbled.

"One thing you gotta learn about Eiko, she sticks her nose into everyone's business and does whatever she wants. If she knows you like something or want something, expect it to show up eventually, Even if you protest." Keahi griped.

"Why, why does she do that?"

"She's just got a gifting spirit! She likes giving people things and seeing them happy." Nini reassured.

They exited the air cab, seeing a small crowd make their way to the theatre and joined in behind them, being cycled through quickly and finding their seats easily. Mr. 555 tried to take in his new surroundings, twisting his head around to view the theatre in it's entirety. Once he had taken it all in, he set his eyes forward in anticipation.

"Nini, will a play make me... happy?"

"That's something you're going to have to decide for yourself. There's an equal chance you'll enjoy it, or not at all."

"What should I do?"

"Just watch and listen! Once it's over, you can figure it out."

"Alright, i'll do so."

The last few audience members were seated and the play began. Lord Avon's tale came to life through the actors, spinning the tale and expertly expressing it. As the introduction finished and moved onto the first act, a familiar face entered the stage and caught the eye of Mr. 555. Baku had taken center stage as a primary character to the protagonist, playing the man who informed them of the star's wishing properties. Mr. 555 connected their appearances to the book counterparts and tried his best to keep them one in the same, but having previously encountered Baku was distracting him away from the play. 

"Nini," His tone was hushed. "Who is that man? He was at the castle not long ago and stared at me very peculiarly..."

"That's Baku, he's the leader of Tantalus, or was, he's retired and now. You remember him mentioned in Memoria, right?"

 _'The man that raised Zidane'_ Mr. 555 thought as he nodded. A strange feeling swirled in him until Baku exited the stage, he wouldn't return until the final act if Mr. 555 was remembering the book's narrative correctly. Regardless, he did his best to put his questions aside until the play's end, not wishing anymore angry side glances from other audience members. The scenes continued, keeping true to the book with a few alterations due to the nature of a play's inability to only go so far in the more fantastical scenes. Soon enough, it was over and the audience erupted in applause, the sudden noise making Mr. 555 jump and then finding himself joining the motion despite his confusion. He heard Nini's laughter over it and shot a glare at him, not sure how to express his first bout of embarrassment. All the actors entered back onto stage in order of their appearance except the protagonist who entered last, whom got the loudest applause which continued as they joined hands with the rest of the cast. Despite the increased fanfare for the protagonist, Mr. 555's attention was completely on Baku's until the curtain fell. 

"Looks like Baku has a fan." Keahi teased as the four of them stirred from their seats. Mr. 555's second bout of embarrassment was clearly writ on his flushed face. 

"I don't know what you're referring to!" He spat.

"Of the few occasions Baku was on stage, you leaned forward in your seat and followed his every move with your body. He playing your favourite character or something?"

"N-No."

"Well then why-"

"Leave him be, Keahi. It just means he enjoyed the show." Nini led the four of them filing out and joining the crowd. "Right?"

"I guess so..." Mr. 555 tried to think things over

"Alright, i'll stop teasing you. How'd you enjoy it, Holly?" Keahi looked over to his sister.

"I-It was good..." She hastily dried some tears, which Keahi was annoyed by.

"Oh geez, it wasn't that sad! Mom is gonna demand who made you cry!"

"I can't help it! I'll make sure i'm fit to be seen before we go home!" 

"Are you alright?" Mr. 555's concern was obvious. "If you liked it why are you crying?"

"Ah, it's just-" Holly stopped to wipe away the rest of her tears. "The ending was bittersweet."

"Bittersweet?" 

"It means that it was a mix of sad and happy. The protagonist got his wish, but not after he made many sacrifices. As a person, I felt for him, like I had a connection."

"Even though he's not actually real?"

"That's the point." Nini added. "Lord Avon wrote his pieces with the intention of reaching people, so that he can make them happy, sad, generally any emotion that he wanted to convey. Nobody is the same so reactions will vary. The sadness of the tale reached Holly deeper than any of us, her experience is different, which is why it's hard for us to understand her connection. Keahi just said 'it wasn't that sad' but to Holly it was. How did it make you feel?"

Mr. 555 went over the play in it's entirety as he thought. It pleased him that it was so true to the source material, therefore, he enjoyed it? "It lived up to expectations. I suppose i'm happy about that."

"That's a good way to look at it too! See, the play reached you differently than Holly. Everyone's different. We'll see another one another time if you want!"

Mr. 555 found himself smiling at the thought. Not only seeing another play, but seeing it with Nini, Holly, and Keahi gave him a mild giddy feeling. "Yes, i'd like that."

The four continued to chat among themselves as the crowd slowly ushered out of the building. The only downside to seats close to the front was the patience you had to have when leaving. They hardly minded as it gave them more time before they all had to split up. As the sun came back into view, Mr. 555 irritatedly placed his hand over his assaulted eyes, only to have a sudden shadow cover it instead. He followed it to the top of the stairs leading to the theatre, where a figure stood out from the crowd, obviously waiting for their arrival. He squinted to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

"Mikoto...?" 

"So you are here. When I was told a genome child had left the village I figured it was you."

"What are you doing here? Are you going to take me back?"

"No, I'm actually not here for you, i'm looking for Holly, and i'm guessing that it's the young lady next to Nini." Mikoto answered, giving the small mage a nod which he returned. Holly and Mr. 555 exchanged glances before she stepped forward.

"Yes, that's me, can I ask what you need?"

"I'm here on behalf of your father. I tried to catch you at your house but your mother directed me here after I explained the situation. She asks that you check in with her after i've delivered this." Mikoto handed her a letter and brought her attention to Mr. 555, observing him for a moment before turning away from the group. "If you decide you wish to follow through, I will be waiting outside of Lindblum in a small airship until dawn." Mikoto stated and then briskly ascended the stairs.

"Hold on a second-!" Holly called out. "What's this about? Is Dad ok!?"

"Read the letter." Mikoto sighed before exiting out of their sight.

"Holly, Dad didn't send us one letter when he was out looking for you. This is probably really important." Keahi put a hand on Holly's shoulder. Holly nodded and took a breath to calm her nerves. She unfolded the letter and read it silently, a cold sweat taking over her as she finished it. It was quickly washed away into the heat of an oncoming wave of tears that followed. She placed her free hand over her mouth as she struggled to stop the tears from falling. This felt like a joke, but she knew Amarant was the joking type. She had been given a choice, one that may stir up something she had long forgotten. Did she dare step out of her comfort zone that she had finally established? She found herself in turmoil as her friends frantically expressed their concerns over her distress.


	38. Sisters

Tem shut her observational journal with more strength then usual, unable to shake off her nervousness. Her dimly lit office hid the time of day as she wondered how long Mikoto had been gone. Growing up, the philosopher in charge of her care often left her to her own devices, solitude becoming one of the ways of life. But in Mikoto's absence, the silence she used to happily welcome had become deafening. Not to mention that the continual thought of her long lost sister possibly on her way to meet her was more than enough to drive her insane. She finally tired of it, leaving her desk and exiting the office. Daguerreo's cold yet humid air did nothing to alleviate anything, but a small shimmer of sunshine seen at the end of the hallway at least told her it was morning. Mikoto would be back soon. She told herself she was an adult, that worrying would do nothing, but she dragged her emotions all the way with her to the Leviathan Altar, leaning herself on it, watching the entrance for the return of her friend. 

******

_Holly,_

_By the time you get this, i'll already be off with everyone and unable to be contacted. While at Daguerreo gathering info, I looked into something pertaining to your past and ended up with more than I bargained for. In any other situation, i'd leave this until I was back, but who knows how long this could take. There's someone here who knows who you are, wants to meet you, and is willing to give you any information about your past that you're willing to hear. I've decided not to hide anything from you anymore so you can either hear it from my mouth whenever I return, or you can go to Daguerreo and hear it yourself. If you don't want to find out anything then i'll respect that, but the choice is yours alone._

_-Amarant_

Holly folded the letter down, asking herself how many time she had read it before shoving it back into her pocket. She nibbled on her bottom lip nervously as she looked out the small airship's window. Lani, seeing this, placed her hand over Holly's, her head turning back to face her mother.

"It's alright, love, we're here for you."

"Yeah, it's gonna be alright, Holly." Keahi added. 

She shallowly nodded while Lani pulled Holly's head onto her chest, lightly stroking her hair. "Thank you for coming with me. You have work and-"

"Shh, enough of that. They can survive without me for a few days."

"I doubt this will take more than today, we're almost there and I can fly you back as soon as you're ready." Mikoto glanced back to the scene. 

"We'll just see how this goes." Lani replied plainly, finishing the conversation until Mikoto had landed. She did a quick check for any Grand Dragons before quickly ushering her guests out and into Daguerreo.

"Now, I do feel that Tem wished to speak with you alone, but I see no harm in you two hearing what she has to say. She is most likely in her office-" Mikoto stopped, seeing Tem in her immediate line of sight. She was sporting the same nervous mug as Holly, something she almost found amusing. "Or, she could be right there waiting for us. Unusual for her to not be hermiting herself. Tem!"

Tem's funk was broken at Mikoto's sudden voice, almost falling back into the water after being startled. She steadied herself on the altar just in time as the group reached her. "Geez, maybe just walk up to me next time?" Tem griped.

"Apologies, I didn't expect to find you outside the office. I've brought Holly as you asked, however her family also came along. I assumed it was alright." 

Tem looked over the three behind Mikoto, while the girl she wished to speak to wasn't making eye contact, the one she assumed to be Amarant's wife was glaring daggers at her. Tem felt a small smile grace her face, thinking on how relieved she was that Holly had been taken in by someone so caring. "Yes, it's perfectly fine. By Mr. Coral's explanation, I sort of expected someone to come along with her. Holly, and i'm assuming Mrs. Coral and Keahi? My name is Tem, i'm a magic researcher here. It's a pleasure to make all of your acquaintances." 

Tem extended her hand and Lani took it, giving it a firm shake. "I'm surprised my husband went as far to tell you about myself and Keahi. This is serious, isn't it?"

Tem released Lani's hand and nodded. She saw Holly tense as she took a step towards her. Amarant was right, her resemblance to the drawing was uncanny. Tem knelt down into Holly's line of sight to the floor and finally caught her attention. "Holly, thank you for being brave and coming all the way here. I can't imagine how difficult this is for you. I want you to know that whatever I tell you today doesn't change who you are. Your father only approached me for your own benefit, however, if any I tell you becomes too much, we can stop immediately, okay?" 

"I'll be fine. I can handle it."

"I know that you can, I can tell by looking at you that you're a tough one. Let's head to my office for a bit of privacy." Tem stood up and blinked away a few tears as she started towards her office. She was sure she was as dry as a desert once everyone was gathered. The three of them sat in front of her desk while Mikoto stood behind her. Holly was still avoiding eye contact, but Tem knew that her ears and heart were open. She debated on how to tell her, would be straight to the point be better? No, she needed the whole story. Tem straightened herself up and cleared her throat. 

"I'm going to tell you a bit of a story. It's a bit long, but I hope you'll listen all the way to the end." Holly finally met Tem's eyes and nodded, the tale beginning. 

_Years ago, there was a noblewoman in Treno who was married to nobleman. While she held no love for him, she bore his child. When the child was born, the nobleman was distraught. He had wished for a boy but was instead given a girl. While his father urged him to try again until a boy was conceived, the lack of love between the couple solidified his choice. He left her, and no one faulted him for doing so. Insomuch, they blamed the noblewoman, and she fell from grace. No family but her bastard child for company, she took to the slums. But all was not lost, for her beauty caught the eye different nobleman one day, who promised her love, riches, and her standing renewed, under one condition. She was to abandon the child of her previous marriage and forget her existence. There was no hesitation within her as she took the nobleman's hand and never looked back upon her child._

_Said child was taken away and given to a philosopher, who took pity on her while her mother was renewed, finding no fault in her actions. Years passed, and the child who had been thrown away found solace in studying and research whilst her mother and her new husband fell more deeply in love. They eventually decided to conceive and were blessed with another girl, one that was loved greatly. The only thing her father loved more than her was his lust for adventure. Upon the release of a very particular book, his passion was ignited, and despite the mother's pleas to not pursue this passion, the nobleman took his family with him to further satiate his adventurous spirit._

_However, he was in need of information, but had heard of someone who could provide him with what he needed. A great surprise it came to them, when the most knowledgeable on the subject of his passion was the child he chose to have abandoned. He used a mediator between them, stuborn but still getting what he wished. The child however, grew tired of the farce. All of her resentment boiled over one day and she confronted the people she hated with every fibre of her being. The fight resulted in absolute discord, with the nobleman forcing his family along on a journey full of spite. And that spite led them to the Iifa Tree, where all three of them met their demise._

"Or so I thought." Tem finished the tale and fished out the sketchbook from a desk drawer. "When your father wished to speak with me privately, he gave me this book. It belonged to the mother of the story, wherein she would spend her time sketching while her husband was off adventuring. A particular sketch caught his eye, and I believe you should look at it as well." Tem folded it open to the drawing and passed it to Holly. Lani and Keahi's eyes widened while Holly's stayed hidden behind the the book.

"The airship you arrived on belonged to the family." Mikoto added. "Zidane found the book on it while your father and him were helping me with something. That was on the day you were at the Black Mage Village."

"Wait, how do you know that the family went to the Iifa Tree?" Keahi asked and Mikoto tensed.

"Because, before I met Tem, I used to go to the Iifa Tree often. One day I found the airship there empty and it was too late for me to stop them."

"And you're positive the girl survived?" Lani questioned, despite the drawing in front of her. Mikoto and Tem exchanged worried glances.

"While highly unlikely, there is a chance." Tem proposed. 

"While I can say I witnessed the remains of the parents, the child, however, was stuck in some roots below, crying. I was unable to reach her before I almost lost my own life. She vanished upon my return."

"And I confirmed the remains myself afterwards. The child's body was never found." 

"I know the current path of the tree well, delving into it so much, but with somebody moving the roots around, I don't think it completely out of the question for a path to open itself, making a route elsewhere."

"You father mentioned that your earliest memory is on the Mist Continent. The roots there are dense and we're led to believe that the root mover resided there, which would add up to the situation you ended up in."

"...I was wandering the plains aimlessly." Holly finally spoke. She gently placed the book down, her one eye closed, not wishing to face anyone. Everyone was silent, waiting for her next words. "Why... Why do you know all this?" Her voice cracked. Tem also shut her eyes, a pained expression overtaking her. Lani and Keahi figured out her identity immediately on seeing it.

"Because I-" Tem choked back her tears. "I am the first child. The one who angered your birth father so greatly he forced you into the Iifa Tree." Holly's eye shot open and glued her gaze to Tem. "If I had just kept my mouth shut, not let my resentment control my heart, then you'd most likely still be with your birth parents, as happy as can be. Instead, you've been kidnapped, extorted, tortured...!" Tem opened her eyes to unstoppable tears. "All because of me, everything you've experienced is on me, Holly. I wanted gratification, love, anything but what was given me, and my greed was your undoing, an innocent child, a casualty of a _stupid spat...!_ " She messily wiped her tears, Mikoto offering her a handkerchief that she refused. "And i'm so sorry-! Nothing I can do or say will make things right. Any hate you wish on your captors should be on me tenfold-"

" **Enough-!** " Holly suddenly bellowed, causing Tem's tears to instantly dry. Holly shrunk in her seat slightly, her outburst wearing off. "Geez, I get why Dad is always frustrated with me. It's not your fault. He told me recently that 'No matter how you twist it, it will never be your fault'. You want me to be upset with you over being abandoned? For wanting something you shouldn't have been deprived of? You **don't** toss away kids like they're a replaceable commodity! If our 'parents' were so stupid to do something as idiotic as the group I hate then I don't fault you for anything."

"B-but, they loved you..." Tem grasped.

"No, they didn't. The loved the thought of me being your replacement. They're _exactly_ like her! I was only brought into existence to hide their guilt! Gods! I am so-!" Holly made a frustrated noise. 

"I don't think you've ever been this angry..." Keahi backed away from her slightly. 

"Besides being thrown into a cage with a Behemoth, ive never let my anger escalate this much! I'm tired of being pitied, i'm tired of people suffering for others selfishness! I. Am. **Done!** "

"Even though they were your parents?" Mikoto asked. 

"Lani and Amarant are my parents. I feel no connection to those I can neither remember or find myself to care about."

"Neither should you." Lani gave Tem a warm smile. "Holly isn't the only brave one here today." 

"Hah, if that's what you want to call it..." Tem rested her head down onto her desk, feeling her burden begin to flee. 

"Uh, you alright?" Keahi cocked his head to see Tem's face.

"I suppose I am, there's a lot i'm going to have to work through before i'm 100%, but if Holly is fine then-"

"I'm not." Holly stated, reaching across the desk, taking Tem's hand. "We both have gone through our own versions of hell, and it takes more than one chat for everything to be what we believe is normal. I don't know what we should do, but I know that we're one in the same, and-" Holly looked to Lani expantly, and was answered with a nod. "-You're family. You're my sister. If we can't figure it out on our own, we can figure it out together, right?"

Tem held Holly's hand back and lifted her head. "If you'll have this fool, i'll support you in any way I can."


	39. Yearnings

Rose looked upon the frames of the future steeple, it's shape slowly beginning to be seen. They were waiting on supplies from Lindblum before they could begin the brickwork, but the workers themselves were busy planning on who would work here, marking the blueprints accordingly. Rose's job was to only monitor them, report if there was anything wrong, but the Alexandrian workforce was filled with vigor, excited for one of their landmarks to be restored. 

"I wonder who sent the hefty donation?" One asked.

"I bet it was some Treno noble who had too much dough on their hands!"

"All the better to line our pockets!"

A collective laugh followed, Rose not participating. Her heart swirled with something still akin to anger as she thought of Holly, but it was a fraction of what she originally felt. Her bitterness was waning, Tucker's broken tears chipping away at her constantly. Holly's fearful face, the face that she caused, also haunted her. They were all victims, she knew this, and Rose did her best to channel what was left of her anger towards the men in the dungeon and the woman still at large. 

"It will not take them long to finish this project." Steiner's voice came from behind her and Rose saluted, turning to face him. "Perhaps you will all be able to move on upon its completion."Rose stayed silent, her response stuck in her throat. It was surely what she wanted, but a part of her was still rebelling. It was clearly writ on Rose's face as Steiner watched her expression drop with her salute. "Come and walk with me for a bit, I have much to discuss with you."

"But- what about my duties?"

"They are all grown men, they'll be fine for a spell from your monitoring. Now, come along." Steiner started his march away from her, Rose quickly stumbling after him. She matched his pace and waited for the oncoming lecture, but it never came. They continued to walk in silence, Steiner simply leading the way. Rose mulled over if he was mulling over how to start the conversation, this being the first normal moment they had together in ages. She decided she would be the first to speak in hope the awkwardness would fade. 

"Um, how is the Prince doing?"

"He is busy. In the King's absence, he's taken to helping the Queen with her duties. All his studying has paid off as he's being very beneficial to Her Majesty's workload."

"I see..." Rose trailed off.

"I wonder if your studying has had a similar impact. A quiz if you will, what happened in the year 1771?"

"Oh-!" Rose's mind immediately clicked. "That was the year of the Airship Revolution. Regent Cid Fabool VIII stopped a conflict between Alexandria and Burmecia."

"Correct. It was the integral event that begun the first peace throughout the nations. An important year for the entire Mist Continent."

"Indeed, as i've been taught such."

"I remember it vividly despite my young age. My parents and I were on vacation in Burmecia when the conflict broke out. While we had done nothing to garner the local's spite, our presence brought them irritation. We tried to leave as soon as the news reached us, but it was far too late. We were taken as prisoners of war. My mother fell ill, and my father was separated from us. I feared her death, I feared never seeing him again, and when both came true, I was lost in despair. Just as I thought all was lost, Alexandrian knights raided Burmecia just before the Regent's airships arrived, finding me, saving me, inspiring me. It was that moment that I vowed to become a great knight for this country. I forgot my despair and spent the years after that devoting my life to training, so that I could join those who saved me, that no one else would suffer a fate similar to mine. My devotion to the King and Queen was unwavering."

"Father... You've never breathed a word of this. Why are you telling me this? Why now?"

"Because, my child, I understand your way of thinking and the turmoil you're experiencing. It is very easy to choose a target for one's anger and hatred. I could have easily blamed the Burmecians for my plight, but I chose to overcome it and spend the rest of my life in devotion. It was only when a certain thief entered my life that my antagonism surfaced. I hated him, I hated his ideals, and I hated the fact that accompanying him went against everything that I had made myself to be. But I found myself in powerless situation, one that he accompanied me on, no questions asked, and without him, our Queen may not have survived. As you read, I stayed behind at the castle with your mother and Freya while Zidane fled with Master Vivi and 'Dagger'. It was only then that I realized my chivalry was more than blindly following orders, but to defend the lives of others that were in danger and needed a shield. I resolved to protect all of them, and I would follow them to the depths of hell if need be."

Steiner paused his stride and looked to Rose. "It is the same with you. The fire gave you a great calling. You wish to defend the Prince and you have done so with great vigor and devotion, but as mine blinded me those many years ago, it has done the same to you. You despise Holly for what did and the fact that she doesn't suffer a fate you believe she deserves further fuels your hate. What you did at the party was inexcusable, but you believed it to be the right step in furthering your calling. But like myself, your logic was flawed, and the person you wished to protect ended up suffering the most. I know your pain Rose, I do. However, you're stuck, you don't know how to proceed, am I correct?" Rose looked away, her lip trembling and her heart aching. 

"Rose, it may not be clear to you yet, but you know what you must do deep down. I do not wish to lecture you further on the matter, however your mother and I have both come to a similar conclusion. You are too focused on your potential knighthood, so much that it has made you lack empathy for anyone outside of us and the royal family. It is a dangerous thing to blindly follow orders and all you have ever known are orders and sword drills. Outside the palace, you have no friends to speak of and while your mother and I were at first content with you giving your all to your training, we see it has suffocated you." 

"So, what am I to do, abandon my duties?" 

"Yes and no. You will continue doing what our King has bid you until it's completion, but once the school break in Lindblum has passed, you will be attending classes there along with the Prince. While Dr. Tot's lessons are beneficial and he's taught you well, what you lack can only be found by leaving your comfort zone. Attending school along with other children is sure to teach you things he can not."

"Father, i'm fourteen! I'm no longer a child!"

"I will believe that when you have proven it to me. Young Holly is not blameless, but neither are you. You almost killed Keahi in your juvenile rage. If anything, you two are even, and if sending you to school for several hours a day helps you to grow, then go to school you will. The Prince has expressed interest in doing so since befriending Keahi, so he will go along with you. The Queen agrees this is the best course of action as well. That is all there is to say on the matter."

"I don't even get to decide for myself!? I want to continue my training! I don't want to waste my days away! I will become worthy, I promise you this!"

"You wish to continue training to be a knight to a prince who can't bear to look at you? Unless you begin to swallow your pride, you will never move from where you currently stand. You are as stuborn as are you are strong, but neither of those things are going to get you and the Prince past this. Do not think of this as the end, but a detour. You will understand in time. Now, we must get back to our tasks at hand. I will see you later."

Steiner saluted to Rose and she begrudgingly returned it. She knew her father was right, but it didn't make her any less infuriated. Her anger cooled as she made her way back to the steeple, thinking over her father's past and his willingness to share it with her. Soon, her anger completely diminished and her uncertainty she thought long forgotten replaced it. Her mind flashed back to her moment with Zidane as she looked upon the shape of the new steeple. He assured her that day that she wasn't a failure and for a few years, she believed his words. Now, she was again wavering. She had blinked away all her tears since Tucker's memory loss, promising herself to be the strong one, but she was no longer needed, she was again in her mind; a failure. Rose turned back into the alleyway and let herself sink to the cobblestone, allowing herself to become again who she once was, designated spots for crying revived. 

******

"Tem-!" Holly called out cheerfully as he pushed the door to her sister's office open. "Good morning!"

Tem met Holly's with a smile with one of her own. "Good morning! I wasn't sure if you were visiting today. It's a good thing I got myself out of bed regardless..."

"Not having Mikoto around as an alarm clock probably doesn't help either." Holly teased.

"I'm perfectly capable of functioning without Mikoto!" Holly stifled a giggle. "What!?"

"The left side of your hair is sticking up~" Tem quickly smoothed down the cowlicks she couldn't see, hot with embarrassment. She found herself unable to be upset with Holly as seeing her happy was a genuine relief. "You're all good now!" Holly confirmed as Tem released her hair. "Keahi and I brought some friends today. I hope that's okay."

"Sure, I don't see why not. Are they interested in magic perchance?" 

Holly smiled mischievously at Tem's question. "Let's just say you'll be pleasantly surprised. Meet us at the Leviathan Altar!"

Tem raised her eyebrows at the shutting door, her curiosity piqued. She moved away from her desk and scanned her office for her coat. She found it nicely folded on Mikoto's desk and made a mental note to herself to thank her when she returned, slipping it on and heading out. After Tem's meeting with Holly and her family, Lani had suggested that Holly make visit to Daguerreo so her and Tem could build a relationship. Both parties were delighted by the idea, and regular visits began. With Mikoto out searching for Gilgamesh and Holly currently on a summer break, it was a great use of both their times. While Tem was constantly interested in helping Holly overcome her fears of magic, Holly was pleased to just spend time with Tem. 

"There she is." Keahi stated as Tem moved into their view.

"A good morning to you, Keahi, it's good to see you." 

"Likewise."

"Tem, these are our friends, Nini and Mr. 555!"

"Hello to both of-" Tem's speech immediately stopped as she got a closer look at the two children. Nini's eyes met hers and she started questioning if she was truly awake or not. " _ **You're a Black Mage!?**_ "

"Yep!"

"H-how...?"

"I ask myself that every morning!" 

"And you're a Genome! A young one at that!"

"Indeed. You are very observant." 

Tem turned back to Holly who was doing her best to contain her giggles. One of the things Tem had shared with Holly in a recent visit was how she adored all magical beings, and how she wished she could have met the Black Mages or that Mikoto would allow her entrance to the village to meet other Genomes. Tem had trouble reading Holly's expression that day after the conversation, and now she knew why.

"Holly's told us all about you, so we decided to come and see you ourselves! Also, Mr. 555 really wanted to visit Daguerreo, he likes books." Nini added. 

"Well, uh, you've come to the right place!" Tem nervously blabbered, her focus stuck to Nini.

"Good, I will take my leave. Please fetch me when I am needed." Mr. 555 quickly took off down one of the hallways. 

"We have got to work on his social skills..." Keahi grumbled.

"Don't mind him!" Nini took Tem's hand and shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Yes... Yes it is! A pleasure to meet you too!" Tem happily shook Nini's hand back. "Is it alright if I ask you some questions?"

"Sure! Let me guess, magic related? I'll let you know now that i'm not as adept in magic as my father."

"That's okay! In fact-" Tem turned her head to look at Holly and Keahi. "I'd like to try something out with all of you if that's alright?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was never my intention to give Steiner a darker backstory until I recently replayed FFIX. There was a particular line he uttered to Dagger ("You have not seen war as I have!") and combined with his official reason for aspiring to be a knight (He was caught up in a war where he was saved by Alexandian Knights), I decided to make him slightly tragic. Steiner is played as the main gag in the game until Quina comes along and besides little snippets here and there (in game and in the FFIX Ultimania) not much is revealed about him. I wanted him to relate to his daughter, to help her forward, and this was the direction I chose. Just thought i'd drop a little explanation.


	40. Levels

"Does everyone know the Blizzard spell?"

"Holly and I do, Nini?"

"Yep!"

"Tem, what exactly are we doing?" Holly eyed Tem with confusion. They had returned to her office wherein Tem had pushed all the desks to the back of the room and then instructed everyone to pick a corner to individually stand in. 

"I... Have a bit of a theory i'd like to test. I've never had so many people gifted in magic be in the same place at once, so i'd like to try it out."

"And that is...?" 

Tem fished her observational journal out of her jacket and turned to a specifc page before answering. "Level 4 magic." Holly and Keahi's confusion grew while Nini curiously tilted his head. Tem laughed at their reactions. "I'll explain, don't worry! Tell me, what is the highest spell you've ever cast?"

"I managed Fira a long time ago, I think." Keahi picked his brain. 

"I was kinda forced to learn up to the third level spells, just in case." Nini answered.

"Um, I don't really know? Maybe Blizzara?" 

"Right, so two level 2 spells and one level 3 spell. That's a pretty much what I expected." Tem made a few notes in her journal. 

"Disappointed?" Holly asked.

"Not at all, quite the opposite! You're all helping me. In my studies i've found that that Gaians can only reach level 2 spells in black magic while Black Mages are recorded to reach up to level 3. Elemental spells are typically in three levels, for example, Blizzard to Blizzara which leads into Blizzaga, but what if there was a level beyond?"

"It would be extremely powerful." Nini mused.

"Yes, it would. This was a thought I carried with for a long time, wondering if our magic could be pushed further. It wasn't until I stumbled upon the journal of a Terran that I started to believe it was possible. I did my best to translate the text and once I was finally able to make it out, it was clearly written that the owner of this journal had a similar thought to mine, and achieved it. He named the spells accordingly; Firaja, Blizzaja, and Thundaja. The big difference between us though, is that he, a Terran, had a natural affinity for magic and was able to achieve it on his own. I'm just a Gaian with the same abilities as most who can handle magic, level 2 and no further. I have figured out how to amplify spells to make them more powerful, but they're still at their base, not changing shape."

"So, you need us to help?" Keahi leaned into his corner.

"Very astute! I got this idea after reading a section of Memoria. Zorn and Thorn, the odd beings that were a constant annoyance to our heroes had a very interesting ability; Twincast. It allowed them to focus their magics together to perform a higher level spell. It got me thinking, what if I could do that too? With the help of another, perhaps level 4 magic could be achievable! However, nobody I asked for help believed me, thought I was a quack or a child full of unachievable dreams. I thought maybe Mikoto might be able manage it, but the spells at her disposal are set in stone due to her unique birth, and they are all spells that we couldn't manage to stack on top of one another to level 4. But with you three, I think if we try a few things, we can achieve level 4! However, if any of you don't feel up to it or feel in danger at any point, don't hesitate to back out. I won't force you to do anything. "

Nini, Keahi, and Holly all exchanged glances, checking for any wavering. "I think we're all fine with the idea, it's just for fun, right? Not planning on using it for anything nefarious?" Nini half teased and Tem laughed.

"Just for research purposes! I wouldn't be able to do it without you three anyways."

"Alrighty then, what do we have to do?"

"Were all going to cast Blizzard at the same time. We'll direct it to the middle of the room and if everything goes well, I believe they'll stack themselves into Blizzaja. We might not get it the first time, but let's give it a shot!"

******

"I- I really owe you one pal..."

"I know, just try to stay conscious and hold on." Ferrington reassured the limp man weakly clinging to his back. 

No sooner had Ferrington started his journey, it had come to a halt. He managed to rent a boat from Lindblum (with a bit of Eiko interference) and set his sights for the Forgotten Continent, intending to visit Oeilvert first and then make his way from there. He made it as far as the small patch of islands underneath the continent when a frantically waving figure flagged him down. Near him was a broken down airship, half sunken into the water. By the looks of him, he had been there for some time and practically tackled Ferrington as he docked to pick him up. As the man hastily ate through most of Ferrington's food supply before passing out, he managed to tell him he was from Daguerreo as he lost consciousness. In a mix of deciding to help this man get home and needing to restock on supplies, he set Daguerreo as his next destination, it not even too far from the wreck. While he got it's island no problem, the mountain it was on now stretched before them. He'd have to scale it himself with the man clinging to his back. 

"WOAAAH!?" The man screeched as Ferrington took his first leap. Ferrington landed and took a moment to rub the ear the man had yelled into. 

"Listen, I get that you're not super stable and kinda weak right now, but I can't hold your legs while jumping, it will mess up my balance. You have four arms, you can use them to hold on tighter. Try to not yell in my ear this time." 

"Ok-AAAAAAAAAAY!" He screeched again as they ascended. Ferrington giving up. It was only a few more leaps so he decide to bear it. 

"You can let go of me now." Ferrington tried to push the man off of him, reaching the entrance. He let out a few shallow breaths before prying himself off Ferrington.

"Oof, thanks a ton. I thought i'd never make it back here!"

"You're extremely lucky I was passing by. Now, could you please direct me towards the shops? You went through almost all of my stuff."

"I-I'll cover all your expenses! I have a good chunk of cash squirreled away in my office here. The woman who has her watch over it is pretty stingy but i'm sure if you come along and I explain the situation, she'll give up her hold on it!" 

"...Alright." Ferrington sighed, letting the man lead him to where his office was. They approached what Ferrington believed to be the office and started to feel the fur on the back of his neck rise. "Wait," He grabbed the man's shoulder. "Something's off-"

A large gust of icy wind caused the door to fly open. What followed was a large shimmering noise followed by a rain of icicles pouring out of the door frame. Excited squeals ended the scene. " **WE DID IT!** " Tem cackled with glee. "That was amazing! Is everyone alright?"

"A little chilly, but we're fine!" Holly answered. "Your office though, it's a-"

"-Mess! What the hell did you do _now_ Tem!?" Tem's head shot toward the door to see the man fuming, both pairs of his arms crossed.

"Gilgamesh! Where in Gaia have you been!? You look awful!" Tem hopped over a few lingering icicles to her friend. 

"Starving to death just south of here! I see you're still so absorbed in your magic you didn't even care to look for me!"

"Mikoto is out looking for you right now! Why didn't you radio us!? Where's the airship!?" 

His face began to sweat, knowing his anger was about to overtaken by hers. "I... Crashed it."

"You **what?** "

"It was an accident, I swear!"

"Every time you mess up it's an accident! Where the hell is the ship!?"

"...Half sunken near a lagoon. The radio was fried so I was stuck."

" **Hell's bells, you're such an idiot!** Mikoto and I are worrying ourselves sick over your stupidity! I cannot _believe_ you!"

"Yeah!? And is covering the office in a sheet of ice any better you freaking witch!?"

"It's MAGIC, it fades. Your stupidity, however, is eternal." Gilgamesh hung his head in defeat. He was too tired to continue the spat. "So, if the airship is trashed, how'd you end up back here?"

"The kid..." Gilgamesh weakly pointed to Ferrington. "He found me and brought me back. I wanted to repay him. Please tell me our funds are still present and not frozen solid..."

Tem looked over to Ferrington who was sporting an awkward expression, enduring the fight in hopes of his supplies being replenished. "Terribly sorry for all of that. Thanks a ton for bringing Gil back Mr.-"

"Ferrington, just Ferrington."

Tem's eyes widened and a smirk arose on her lips.

"Oh, really? Well then-" Tem craned her neck back into the office. "Oh Holly, your _boyfriend_ is here~!"

" ** _EXCUSE YOU!?_** " Her voice echoed from the office, surprising Ferrington. Tem giggled at her's and Ferrington's reaction. 

"Ahhh, apologies, just a little revenge for her teasing. I've heard all about you. Please come in."

Ferrington tentatively entered the office after Gilgamesh, shocked at group within. "What in the- why are all of you here!?"

"Nice to see you too!" Nini teased. 

"No, seriously, why are you here? This is the place i'd expect any of you to turn up. Is there a field trip or something?"

"I mean, we could ask you the same question. What're _you_ doing here, Ferrington." Keahi fired back. 

"How about we drop the fifty questions for now. We have some time until the safe thaws so, why don't I fix us up with some warm drinks and we'll all have a nice talk, hmm?" Tem kicked the ice off one of the chairs and slid it to Ferrington. "Holly, could you go fetch Mr. 555? I don't want him to feel left out."

"Radio Mikoto." Gilgamesh grumbled.

"The radio is frozen over."

"Of _course_ it is!"


	41. Moles

Eiko resisted the urge to rub her face tiredly as she sorted through her duties for the day. It was only a small pile of papers, but she knew it was just a precursor for her future. Still, she had picked up a good method for sorting and spread the sheets on her desk before proceeding. An envelope caught her eye, standing out from the smooth pages and she plucked it from underneath them.

"Oh...!" She exclaimed looking at the addressee. "Faye, there's a letter here for you! Must of gotten mixed up with all my stuff."

"I bet it's from Ferri!" Faye left her adjacent desk and happily took the letter. "Yeah, that's his handwriting. Finally, I was wondering if he'd forgotten!"

"He probably had it sent to your home and it took it's time redirecting itself here. He has no idea that you're working at the castle, right?" 

"Yeah... He left before I could tell him." Faye ripped open the letter and started reading it intently. Her face went from worried to amused as she reached the end of it. "You're not gonna believe this!"

"What? What's going on?"

"Ferri's sending your boat back! Seems he rescued someone who promised him a monetary reward, but wasn't able to keep that promise, so instead, he's letting Ferri have safe travel on their airship to wherever he pleases!"

" _I_ could've done that for him, no rescuing required! Anyways, where's he at currently?"

"Daguerreo. It says here that he also met with Keahi, Holly, and Nini, that they were helping out the owner of the airship with her research." 

"O...kay...? Does he mention why they're helping her?"

"Nope, just a mention. Oh wait, there's a postscript! 'P.S. - The next time you see Eiko, let her know that this woman can summon Eidolons, thought she should know. She's a bit weird but doesn't seem like a bad person' "

Eiko stiffened but then immediately relaxed. "Oh, _that's_ what's going on! I've been so wrapped up here I forgot! Amarant sent a report in regards to this woman and I just haven't had time time to investigate! If i'm remembering correctly, she's actually Holly's birth sister..." Eiko opened a drawer and started rooting for the report. 

"What? Really?"

"Yeah, something Zidane figured out and passed onto Amarant. If Holly is there with Keahi, then he must have been right! Ah- here it is." Eiko fished out a slip of paper and pushed the drawer shut. "Tem, a magic researcher. Able to summon a never before seen Eidolon - Investigate at your leisure. Possible blood relative to one Holly Coral."

"Nini was there too according to Ferri, should we ask him for details?"

"He and Mr. 555 have been taking an airship out with the Coral siblings a lot, so i'd say it's a good idea." Eiko got up from her desk and went to the door, opening it and flagging down a passing guard. "Could you go get Nini and Mr. 555 for me?"

******

"Tem is going to be surprised, we we're just there a couple days ago!" Holly happily proclaimed. "I hope she's not getting sick of me..."

"I'll apologize for the sudden visit if need be. I just thought that if i'm making my way there, you all might as well come along too!" Eiko reassured. 

"Besides, any excuse to continue her research makes her ecstatic. She'll be delighted to see us." Keahi added.

"I'm just happy that I can finish the book I was reading." Mr. 555 mused. "We only visit once a week so i'm left wondering how the stories end if I don't finish in time." 

"I'm sure you could just borrow the book and bring it back the following week...?" Nini pondered.

"I asked and the librarian said she doesn't trust me. Rude." 

"Maybe she wants you to not have your nose stuck in a book all the time." Keahi teased.

"Keahi!" Holly chided alongside Mr. 555's glare. 

"All i'm saying is you disappear for the entire visit. Not once have you voluntarily left your books to check what your friends were up to. You're like a ghost!" 

"I know what you're 'up to'. It doesn't interest me. I have no desire to use magic or learn any. Why is this a problem?"

"It isn't." Holly butted in. "You just said it, our interests are different. While you've taken to reading as your hobby, we've taken to magic research. Keahi is teasing you, Mr. 555. Do you know what that means?" Mr. 555's puzzled face returned and Eiko struggled to keep back her laughter. 

"I'm glad all of you are getting along so well! I was worried that without me around everything would fall apart!"

"Don't flatter yourself. Faye was the peacekeeper and you were the constant annoyance. If anything, her absence is more of a loss." Keahi shot back.

"I don't know about that..." Faye wavered as Eiko laughed at Keahi's jab. Their playful banter continued all the way to Daguerreo, something Eiko had dearly missed. A part of her wished the ride hadn't been so quick as most of the conversation died as they entered in.

"It's early so Tem is probably still sleeping. I'll go knock on her office and check. Sit tight!" Holly said as she started towards her goal. 

"Well, i'm going to go read _if that's okay_." Mr. 555 eyed Keahi as he walked past.

"Yeah, yeah, get going." Keahi shooed him. 

"I'll join you today! I don't think i'll be needed. Find us if i'm wrong!" Nini quickly followed Mr. 555. 

"I wonder where Ferrington could be?" Faye moved her body around, trying to take in the entire interior. 

"Probably still at the inn. Pretty sure he could still afford that."

"Was this guy just totally broke or something?" Faye asked.

"It was more like, he thought there was more money in the safe than there was. It's Gilgamesh's job to replenish funds but as he crashed, that didn't happen in his last trip, and it's not like Tem and Mikoto aren't gonna buy themselves food. Anyways, Mikoto is out doing his job right now while he rests up. When she gets back, she'll be playing chauffeur for Ferrington as a reward instead." Keahi answered. 

"Wait, Gilgamesh? As in that four-armed guy?" Eiko grinned.

"Yeah...?"

" _Oh my gosh-!_ " Eiko wheezed. "I never included this in Memoria, but that guy tried to bribe me with a meal in Treno back during the card tournament, probably for something nefarious. As soon as he mentioned food, Quina showed up out of nowhere and chased him off. It was _so weird!_ " 

"That's pretty hilarious..." Keahi smirked.

"Why do you think he targeted you?" Faye questioned.

"Dunno, but it might have had something to do with me hanging around Amarant and his bounty still being active. Still-!" Eiko let out her giggles. "I'm glad he switched from bounty hunting. Didn't really seem his forte!"

"Hardy-har-har, so damn funny." Gilgamesh's voice stopped Eiko's laughing. He appeared next to a bleary eyed Tem being led by Holly coming out of the hallway. 

"Have you even aged!?" Eiko was trying not to busy her gut. "You look _exactly_ the same as the day I saw Quina foil your plans!"

"Your damn friend chased me for hours trying to get a meal out of me! They only relented when I tossed a candy I had in my pocket at their terrifying face!"

Eiko lost all her composure, imaging the scene was more than enough to keep her laugh constant. " _I can't breathe-!_ " Eiko gasped while wiping away tears.

"Wow, you were so much of a clumsy clod you're going to kill Lindblum's future Regent by your idiocy alone." Tem yawned. 

"Were you really trying to use Eiko to blackmail my dad? That would have never worked..." Keahi shook his head.

"Your dad? Who, the 'The Flaming Amarant?' " Gilgamesh jested.

"Yeah, that's mine and Holly's dad."

" **WHAT!?** " Gilgamesh took a step back. "Tem, what the hell have you been doing since I was gone!?"

"I _told_ you already. Were you asleep when I told you a bunch of the King's inner circle came to us for help? I even explained to you mine and Holly's relations!"

"I thought you were joking! You've always been a bit of a quack so I thought you has just picked up a bunch of random kids to help you out! If Holly is Amarant's kid then what does that make you!?"

"You are so damned dense!" Tem spat.

"I'm adopted. The nobleman who employed you before your current job with was my birth father and Tem's stepfather."

"Didn't you die?" Tem smacked Gilgamesh on the back of the head, knocking off his helmet. " **OW!** I was just asking a question!" 

"Insensitive jackass! Apologize to Holly!"

"Er, it's fine. It is a legitimate question."

"Well I can see who got all the kind genes!" Gilgamesh jabbed, causing Tem to punch him so strongly he reeled to the ground.

"Am I witnessing some comedy routine?" Ferrington jumped down from the second floor, joining the crowd.

"The actors in Lindblum wish they could be this hilarious." Eiko wiped away her last tear. "I'm glad you're up, Ferrington, it's been awhile."

"Your debutante wasn't _that_ long ago. I head out on a journey expecting not to see any of you for months, and then we all somehow make it here, including my sister. I get why everyone is here except you two, what are you meddling in now, Eiko?"

"Why Keahi, i'm hurt! What is this meddling you speak of?" Eiko winked and Ferrington scoffed. 

"Cheeky as ever."

"It's what makes me so adorable! But putting that aside, i'm actually here on business with the young lady over there." She pointed at Tem. "And your sister is my lovely assistant!"

"I work for the castle now, Ferri, which you would have known by now if you didn't take so long to write me! What gives!?"

"Yeesh, calm down. I took a small tour of places in the Mist Continent that i'd yet to visit. Like the Ice Cavern and the Qu's Marsh. I didn't think them interesting enough to talk about so I put it off until something interesting happened. Picking up Gilgamesh was the highlight of the journey so far. Regardless, congrats on the job, it suits you."

"I'll... Take that as a compliment." 

"It was one."

"Alright, cool, a touching reunion. I hate to be the downer here, but i'm running low on sleep and i'd like to get to the point of this gathering so I can resume my slumber. Ms. Fabool, i'd love to chat with you in detail about eidolons and other things, but you came here with a goal in mind, yes? What can I do for you?" Tem half grumbled.

"Actually, would you mind summoning your eidolon for me? I've made my responsibility to make sure you or anyone else isn't misusing their power."

Tem let out a sigh and started digging through her jacket for the diamond. "I _can_ but one; he is not going to be happy. I just called him out recently for the kids and doing again so soon is going to sour his mood. Two; i'll be frank, I know you're not just here to see Cait Sith, I can tell by looking at you that you're looking for information as well. We're a business here, and while I willingly gave information to our last clients for free, it was because of the situation and the person they're pursuing. Currently, you're not participating in their tasks and thanks to crashed-our-damn-airship-into-a-lagoon Gilgamesh, we're more strapped for funds than ever. I'm not a charity, Ms. Fabool. If you've got the gil i've got the info, savvy? " 

"That's fair, I didn't expect this to be free. How about this, i'll keep Cait Sith calm and we'll supply you with a new airship, you can even choose which. Does that strike your fancy?" 

Tem matched Eiko's smirk and nodded. "It does indeed! We have a deal."

"Get a fancy one!" Gilgamesh whispered to Tem.

"You be quiet, you'll never be driving it! Mikoto will get it and you'll get her's as a hand-me-down!"

"Such a spoilsport..." 

Tem shook her head and finally found the diamond in one of her pockets. "Alright, one very cranky Cait Sith coming up. Back away kids, who knows how this is going to go." Everyone in the group did so except Eiko and Tem let her magic pour into the gem once again. Before Cait Sith fully materialized, Tem sat herself down in preparation for the fatigue the summoning held. It unfortunately put her on the same level as Cait Sith, who firmly punched her onto her back once he realized where he was.

"Tem-!" Holly ran over to her descending figure. 

"You are trying my patience, girl! You just summoned me recently for no other reason than to show me off! I am not a an exhibit to your research! Treat me as such **one more time** and I will shatter that jewel!" 

"Actually," Eiko picked up Cait Sith and turned him towards her. "I had her summon you. I'm unable to and I wanted to see you for my own eyes. Sorry if we interrupted anything."

"Well i'll be, an _actual_ summoner. In fact, are you not the one who was bonded with Madeen from birth?"

"...Yes, that's me. I'm surprised you know that."

"All Eidolons are privy to one another. She disappeared from our plane for six years, becoming a moogle. I once did something similar a very long time ago."

"You are!? That Ramuh-! If he knew about the interfering Eidolon then why string us around!?" 

"We observe and live. It is your duty to keep us out of the wrong hands. It makes no difference to us if the mortal plane is destroyed, we'll exist either way. You'd do well to remember that."

Eiko felt her eye twitch in anger and took a deep breath to calm herself. "Very well, i'll accept that. However, i'd like to know about your time in a similar situation as Mog's. Was it in my tribe? I've never seen the likes of you on the Eidolon Wall."

"Hah, i'm not surprised! Besides the one over there, i've only been summoned one other time, and it was not the most pleasant of experiences. I was summoned as a plush toy, a good luck charm for a sickly newborn babe. I could not walk or talk, only observe. I warded off misfortune and did so until my vessel was destroyed. I've not wished a master since."

"I... Don't blame you, that sounds awful."

"It was dreadful! I feel no pity for the mortals who perished for their insolence!"

"...I do hope you're not referring to Madain Sari."

"Calm yourself, child. I refer to something that had nothing to do with outside interference. I speak of summoners unable to control their power, much akin to Alexander's first summoning, but with much more fatal results."

"The Mole people." Tem butted in, back to standing. 

"The... what?"

Cait Sith wriggled out of Eiko's grasp and smoothed down it's fur. "While it was a nice diversion, I tire of talking. This one is well versed in the lore of magical beings long gone. Do try to actually summon me for battle if you do so again."

The moody Eidolon faded and left Eiko with many questions. "The Mole people?" She repeated.

"They're the people who resided in Mount Gulug. I've collected what little information about them into a small paper if you wish to read it. It's a lot of conjecture, but what I do know is that they were a tribe of summoners and that they no longer exist." Tem answered.

"...Ramuh mentioned them before. I've meant to do some investigating of my own there but..." She sighed. "I don't have the fondest of memories of that place."

"Eiko..." Faye placed her hand on Eiko's shoulder. Eiko pat it and gave Faye a smile.

"I'm fine, i'm done making excuses. I feel like going there might give us some direction on who Zidane and the others are hunting. If we can find out which Eidolon she's using, we might figure out how to stop her." Eiko closed her eyes and let the events of Mount Gulug flash by her once more before shaking them off. She turned to Ferrington with a grin on her face. "Hey Ferrington, how'd you like to escort me around Mount Gulug? There's gil in it for you!"

His eyes lit up. "Adventure and money? I like both of those things."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Mole_people


	42. Monsters

"This place is a wreck..." Ferrington observed a crumbling wall. 

"But it's still lit. The lanterns must be magic of some sort." Faye poked at one. "What do you think Eiko?"

"Hmm? Um, yeah, probably."

The Crescent siblings shared a concerned look. "Eiko, are you okay? Should we take a break?" Faye proposed.

Eiko broke from her daze to look upon her two friends, faces filled with worry. "Guys... I'm fine, I promise. It's just, the further we go down the more I feel. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but as i've aged, i've become more sensitive to Eidolons and there presence. When I was here last, I was not only knocked out, but very young. I might have felt what I was feeling now if I focused hard enough, but there was hardly time for that."

Eiko took a few steps out of the current building and peeked down into the foggy bottom. "Then, there's something actually here?" Ferrington joined her. 

"I think so, but we'll have to go deeper, down to where the extraction circle was. As much as I don't want to, it might lead to what we're looking for."

"Then let's move on, the monsters here aren't exactly a piece of cake. Come on Faye, let's go." 

Ferrington looked back to see a alarmed Faye. "...Faye? What's up?"

"Did... Either of you see that?"

"See what?"

"A shadow just flew by..." 

Ferrington looked up to try and catch a glimpse while Eiko returned to Faye. "Maybe one of those Red Dragons that attacked while everyone was trying to rescue me has got their eye on us. Just stick together and don't pick up anything. They're apparently very protective of whatever they consider treasure. Maybe we'll make it out of here without having to face it." 

"I sure hope so! I know that Ferri is just itching to take a swing at it though!"

"You know it, but i'm being paid to escort you two, not put you in danger. Let's hurry up and descend to the lowest level and get out of here. I can always come back later and smoke it out."

"Well, look who grew up to be all responsible! I'm so proud...!" Eiko feigned happy tears which Ferrington promptly ignored, continuing down the path.

They were fortunate enough to avoid any more battles as they made their final descent down the well's rope. Eiko paused to a moment to observe the darkened extraction circle before continuing, her senses and memories both assaulting her. She was thankful for her friend's company as they took the last few steps into the final room. "Looks like a dead end. Is there where it all happened, Eiko?" Ferrington shut the door to the chamber within. Eiko didn't answer, scanning the room for something, anything to put her at ease. She folded her hands together and started to focus everything into her Summoner's horn. There was something here, she knew it. "Eiko...?" Ferrington questioned.

"Shhhh! She's focusing her energy into her horn! Don't interrupt her!" Faye hissed.

A few moments passed and Eiko opened her eyes. "...There. Over there, the wall is fake. It's an Eidolon's barrier."

" _...Impressive, young one._ " A voice echoed around them. 

Faye and Ferrington jumped in surprise while Eiko approached the fake wall. "You weren't exactly easy to pinpoint, so i'll take that compliment. What exactly are you hiding behind here?"

" _Horrors, or what is left of them. I was summoned into this form to keep the beasts within, though it was for naught._ "

"I suppose you're referring to what happened to the Mole people?" 

" _Indeed, tis a gruesome tale. One of greed and its consequences._ " 

"Would you mind telling it to me? I'd like to know what became of them. We're also seeking information on an Eidolon that is currently being misused. I only know of the Eidolons I grew up with, so having any information would be helpful." 

The Eidolon was silent for a moment before responding. " _The very same Eidolon you are seeking is the heart of the tale you wish to hear._ "

"Really!? Please, we've been hunting it for two years! I need to know all the details!" 

" _...Very well. Behind this wall lies a mine. The Moles made their livelihoods excavating items, many of which were brought to Esto Gaza and used in their religious practices. The more obscure they were the more interest was given, and thus; more monetary reward. Among them were those with abilities to summon eidolons, and one in particular wielded the power of a great and fearsome serpent. Midgardsormr was it's name and with it's maw, it split the earth asunder. Its master was greatly favoured in the mines, making excavating easier and the acquisition or more relics a sure thing. However, the elder of the Moles felt a disturbance in the mines. He could not fully explain it and stopped the excavations until further notice, bringing malcontent to the entire tribe. They rebelled in secret, Midgardsormr's master continued to dig and sell his findings. All was well, the miners mocked the elder and his superstitions, until they one day hit neither earth nor artifact, but roots. They seemed harmless, but no matter where they tried to continue the tunnels, the roots where constantly in their path. Not wishing to face the elder's wrath and still desiring to dig, Midgardsormr was used to move the roots. It was then it happened. The oppressive mist filled the mines, and with it came monsters. Terrifying creatures that none were prepared for. They invaded the settlement, devouring all who were in their path. The elder knew of what had been wrought, instructed all to escape to Esto Gaza while he descended to the mines. There, he summoned me and used me as a seal. His hopes were that those who escaped would eventually have a home to return to after the monsters were felled, but they were all naive. Little did they know they were being observed. Before any of the Moles were able to reach the surface, the way was shut._ "

"Somebody locked them in!?" Faye fumed. "Who!? How could they!?"

"Garland..." Eiko hissed.

" _You are correct, young one. I believe Garland willing to use the same method as he did to those in your tribe, but he saw the Mole's eventual demise and let them do his job for him. All he had to do was seal the door, and seal it he did. The Moles perished along with their history. I never thought i'd have one to tell this tale to, but with the seal broken, I had hope someone would one day return. Please, young summoner, I wish to be free of this place. I am yours to command if you can undo the spell._ "

"Wait, what about the monsters behind you? Won't we get mobbed?" Ferrington hesitated. 

" _The few that remain are no stronger than what you have already faced on your journey down here._ "

"We'll be fine, Ferrington. We'll run for it if need be. What's your name? It'll be easier for me to break the barrier if I can focus on you fully."

" _...Catoblepas. It has been ages since hearing my name I almost forgot it._ "

******

"Nothing has changed, she's left the Mist Continent." Zidane observed the marked map.

"Where should we head next?" Freya looked at it over his shoulder. 

Zidane glanced out a window of the Eiko Garde I as they passed by Lindblum. They had made a full loop of the Mist Continent. "The closest continent is the Outer plus there's the route through Fossil Roo. Maybe we should go there next?" Blank proposed.

"That seems like the most logical place she'd go. It's where the roots are most concentrated." Cinna agreed. 

"What do you think, Amarant?" Zidane asked. 

"...If we're going to do this half blind then we might as well check out the Iifa Tree first and monitor it's surrounds for a few days. We should move on after that."

Zidane nodded, thinking over the plan himself. "Alright, let's do that, any objections? ...No? Alright, we have our heading. I'll let the crew know, you all get rested up in the meantime." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Catoblepas_(summon)  
> http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Midgardsormr


	43. Mistakes

It is time to wake up ____.

_Mmm, already? Can't I sleep more?_

I have a task for you!

_What's that?_

Observing Gaia.

_Huh?_

Observing the roots, specifcally.

_How am I supposed to do that?_

Record your findings with this journal!

_O-okay... Where are we?_

The Iifa Tree! Now, run along, return to me when you have finished.

_W-wait, don't leave me all alone!_

Do you understand? You're smaller than your mother and I. 

_I don't understand! What are we doing here!?_

Climb down the roots and help you father with a big discovery!

_No! I don't want to! You're scaring me, Papa!_

Are you disobeying me, ____?

_N-no, but, please don't make me go alone!_

...Very well, your mother and I will stay close, does that suit you?

_N-no, please, i'll- PAPA LOOKOUT-!_

*******

Holly awoke in a cold sweat, her mind racing, her throat dry. As panic almost overtook Holly, Tem's heavy coat draped over her brought reality back. She was in the office, Tem asleep at her desk, softy snoring. The situation flooded back to her, Eiko and the Crescent siblings had returned late, deciding it would be best to stay the night at the inn. A few radio calls later, the 'sleepover' was approved and everyone headed off to the inn, except Holly. Tem was busy making something for her, well rested from her naps, and wanted her to stay until it was finished. Holly brought her hand up to where her eyepatch usually rested, gingerly opening the eyelid that usually housed nothing. The rounded, smooth sensation of the prosthetic eye was still there. She had watched Tem intently as she transformed a box of aquamarine shards into a shape perfectly resembling an eye. The shards had lost their magic, but with more applied to them, Tem masterfully wove the gift for Holly, happily stating 'she knew there would be a use of them'. Though Holly tired to focus on all the happiness this event that evening had brought to her, the dream she had just escaped was still too prominent. She pushed Tem's coat off and made her way to the door, hoping some air would clear her head. Daguerreo's flooded hallways were a mixed blessing, helping Holly wake up, but would also inevitably give her chills soon enough. She spotted a small stool resting on a distant bookshelf and made it her goal, hoping whoever put it there wouldn't mind her using it. It sat just above the water level, most likely chosen for it's height, and Holly gladly lifted her feet from the water, curling herself into a ball, using the bookshelf as a headrest. It was quiet save a few nightowls still turning pages on other levels and the continual flow of water occasionally drowning them out. Holly tried to find peace again, hoping the dream would fade, but the more she thought on it, the more returned to her. A few tears spilled from her eyes as she clenched them shut. 

"I guess i'm not the only one having trouble sleeping." Holly's eyes shot open. Ferrington was in front of her, lazily rubbing one of his eyes. "Have a bad dream or something?" 

"...Maybe, what about you?" 

"Eh, I just can't sleep. There was a lot to take in at Mt. Gulug. My mind is still racing." 

"...Tell me about it."

"Hmm?"

"Mt. Gulug. It might help if you talk about it. Go ahead, i'm all ears."

"And eyes apparently, is that why Tem had you stay behind? It looks nice."

"Heh, thanks. Tem thought my eyepatch would make me a prime target for bullying when I started school. This is her her solution." 

"If anyone does anything to you, just tell Keahi, he'll punch some sense into them."

"I'd rather my problems be solved without violence. Anyways, enough about me, Mt. Gulug, what happened?" Ferrington indulged her, telling Holly the same tale the Eidolon had relayed to Eiko. She listened intently to him, not once interrupting, almost feeling as she was there herself as he told the tale. "...That's horrible. The summoner kept working for his own benefit and got everyone killed."

"Yeah, but, even if he didn't, Garland was going to kill them anyways. Damned if they did, damned it didn't."

"It's still upsetting."

"I agree, but on the plus side, we at least know what Eidolon is being used to move the roots."

"...There is one thing that bothers me about that, I don't recall ever seeing a large serpent. I've seen the roots move, but neither she or an Eidolon was in sight. Has Eiko told our parents all this yet?"

"Eiko tried radioing them when we got back, but it was late, nobody responded. She said she'd try again in the morning." 

"That's a bit worrying..."

"They're fine, don't worry so much. Take your mind off it and tell me why you can't sleep. It's only fair and as you said, talking will help." 

A weak smile crossed Holly's face briefly as Ferrington waited patiently. "Well, being here so much triggered some memories, I guess. One of them played out to me in a dream."

"Hey, that's great! What was it about?" 

Holly leaned her head back further onto the bookshelf, craning her neck to observe the ceiling. "It was when my 'Papa' forced me into the Iifa Tree, both he and my mother were there as he tired to get me to climb down smaller roots, hoping i'd help him find some new discovery. But I was to scared and they were both killed by monsters." More memories flooded back to her as she talked. Ferrington did the same as she did for him, listening intently, letting her vent. "I must have fallen, Mikoto said I was tangled in roots below when she found the whole mess. What a selfish ass he was. He was displeased with just being a regular noble, he wanted to be known for more. He married my mother because it was risque, he'd be known for it, but he sent Tem away as he didn't want to deal with her. It wasn't enough, he wanted fame with his fortune. My mother and I were just pawns in his plans. He didn't love us, just paraded us around like trophies and then used us whenever it suited him. Tem confronted him and he lost his cool, deciding he'd get full use of us yet. The tree he sought riches from did him in, and I unfortunately survived."

"Holly..."

"You know what's funny? I can't even remember my own name! He said it so rarely, only when he wanted something or was cross with me. But i'm glad that it's not something I can remember. 'Holly' reminds me of warm things, happy things. It tells me that i'm a Coral, and that nothing before it matters. I'm no longer a trophy or a desperate thief, but given the affection I desired, and given it freely, no strings attached. It took a stroll through hell, but i'm finally able to be happy with who I am. At least, I think I am, I hope that I am."

"Hey, everything's gonna be fine, alright? Nobody is saying you need to have everything figured out right now."

"Pffft, you sound like Nini."

"That's a good thing, right?"

Holly laughed. "Yes, you're being a good supportive friend. I appreciate it. Having so many people care about me is still something I need to get used to. Though i'm not entirely sure what i've done to deserve your attention."

"Oh _come on_. Look at where we are! I wouldn't have started my journey without you and your speech back at the party!"

"You got here on your own, Ferrington, I just gave you a little push."

"A push that I needed. I'd probably still be sulking back in Burmecia if not for it. Sure, this is a bit of a setback, but then your connections with Tem netted me a free ticket to wherever I please! I owe you a ton!"

"Geez, stop it! You're embarrassing me!"

"There's nobody here but me, nothing to be embarrassed about." Ferrington smirked. 

Holly didn't reply, looking away from him, hoping her flushed face wasn't as red as she felt. "A-anyways, I owe you a prize, right? You got your wish first."

"Oh, that. You were serious?" 

"Yes, what do you want? I'll do what I can to get it."

"I uh-" Ferrington hesitated. "I don't really know? Can I get back to you? I'm kinda bad at-" 

"H-help...!" A small, strained voice caught their attention. Ferrinton turned towards the entrance and looked down to it from their level. A smaller man stumbled into Daguerreo, out of breath. "Please, is anyone there!?"

"That's...!" Ferrington felt his heart stop. 

"Mr. Cinna!" Holly gasped. The few night owls were no longer present, just the two of them were witness to Cinna's pleas. Both of them tried to ignore their panic as they followed their instincts. "I'll go get Eiko-!" Holly quickly ran down the hall while Ferrington jumped from the high level down to the entrance. Cinna practically collapsed into Ferrington's arms as he reached him. 

"Cinna, why are you here!? What's going on!?"

"S-she got us, she got us good." Ferrington noted his body covered in wounds, nothing fatal, but painful nonetheless. "I'm so sorry, kid. She's got everyone else."


	44. Hostages

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naming Facts: Keeping the comparisons going, 'Baku' is the name given to a spiritual version (Yokai) of a Tapir found in Japanese mythology. I decided to just use 'Tapir' as our villains name to keep things simple, yet familiar.

"Pull back! Put the engines at full power!" Zidane ordered. The Eiko Garde I lurched, throwing almost everyone to the deck. 

"S-something's got us!" One of the airship's crew trembled. 

Zidane struggled to pull himself up against the forced tilt of the ship. "Erin! Status report!" Zidane barked.

She quickly pulled herself up to her station, assessing all the flashing lights, then peeking through the lookout lens. Horror overtook her face as she turned to Zidane, shakily saluting. "We've lost engine power, and... There's a protruding root wrapped around the hull!"

"Damn it! Ready the cannons and fire at will!" Another wave hit the ship, this time accompanied by the sound of creaking metal followed by pipes screeching under pressure. Erin managed to hold on and immediately took to the lookout lens. She gasped. 

"Other roots have both wrapped around the ship and have broken the cannons clean off!" 

"We've got to get those roots off! Amarant, you take the ones by the hull and i'll take-"

"...No." Zidane cut Freya off. 

"No!? You want us to simply fall into her trap!?"

"The engine is gone, so is our firepower. We resist anymore and she'll break what's left." Amarant confirmed. 

The roots constricted and began pulling the Eiko Garde I towards the Iifa Tree. Zidane sighed bitterly as the ship slowly started it's involuntary descent. "Erin, are the radios still up?" Zidane asked calmly. 

"Just local communications!"

"...Then let the crew to prepare for a crash landing."

******

Zidane awoke to pain commanding his senses as he tried to move. The Prima Vista's crash was nothing compared to this. The Eiko Garde I was in literal pieces, scattered all throughout the Iifa Tree. As soon as it collided with the tree, more roots sprung up and caught every crew member as they were thrown from the impact. Zidane had been knocked out by the whiplash of the root that snagged him, now coming to, trying to remember the event in detail.

"Her planned worked." He heard a voice next to him. "I thought you wouldn't fall for it, but your bleeding heart shows once again that you can't just look away."

"Your airship was crashed in the roots, Mikoto, of course we were going to investigate." Zidane replied, trying in vain to sit up. Mikoto extending her hand to him, pulling him to her side. "Easy, easy! I think some of my ribs are broken...!" 

"Your ribs, Amarant's arm, Freya's foot, join the club. She purposely injured everyone she deems a threat so we won't try anything." Zidane looked around at the scene. Mikoto and himself were in a cage woven by roots, tiny slits where they crossed over allowed a view and nothing more. Below their cage was another holding Freya, Amarant, Marcus, and Blank. There was one more cage in the distance holding the crew of the Eiko Garde I and Cinna. He was wearing his engineer uniform, most likely having been sorted into their cage because of it.

"If she thinks a few broken ribs are gonna stop me, she has another thing coming. Where is she at!?"

Mikoto pointed to a bundle of roots close to the crew's cage. It was cocoon in structure, but still built out of roots. "In there. It's just like Tem, she exhausted herself and is resting. Despite their rotting, the roots are still strong and none of us are able bodied enough to break them. Also, she threatened to tear of limbs next if any of us attempted to escape. I think all of us like where our limbs are plus we've already witnessed her power. It'd be better to calm yourself."

"She's right, Zidane. All of us are in bad shape right now." Freya answered from below them. "Amarant still hasn't come to. I'm doing what I can with Reis Wind, but it's hardly affecting our wounds."

"The Boss always told us to wait for an opening, and now's not it." Blank echoed after her. 

"Let's see what the hell she wants before we do anything." Marcus added.

"What a smart lot you are!" A mocking voice came from the root cocoon. "It's a shame you seemed to forget how to use your noggins until now, so easily getting caught in my web." The roots separated and a figure emerged from within. The faint beams of sunlight managed to reach her, finally giving everyone a look at the monster they were chasing. Though a tad dirty from the roots, a stunning lady with lavish clothes stood among them. All of them took note of the gem around her neck, the key to their escape. "You're all glaring such daggers at me! Calm yourselves, it's not in my plans to kill any of you!"

"Could've fooled us...! Most people die being thrown from airships at that height!" Zidane barked back. 

"But I caught you, didn't I? Are you cranky because I broke a few limbs? Get over it, you'll heal." 

"Just like Tucker's hand and Holly's eye, right!? You're the lowest of the low!" 

She smirked at Zidane's outburst. "How are you enjoying my little failure? Kept his name after everything? Always the defiant one. Not sure who Holly is though. Oh wait, the one he picked up, right?" She pointed to Amarant's unconscious body. "Such a shame she chose them over me, so much untapped talent! She could be standing by my side, both eyes, if she had just followed directions." 

"Why you-!"

"Zidane, enough! You're wasting your breath." Mikoto chided. 

"Yes Zidane, shut up, it's my turn to talk." She mocked. "No further interruptions will be tolerated."

"Listen, you-!"

" **Be silent!** " The stone around her neck glinted and the cage housing Zidane and Mikoto shook violently. They both cried out in pain and fear, clutching their wounds as it slowed. 

"Stop this! What do you gain from harming us further!?" Freya spat. 

"Unless you want me to shake yours too, it'd be best you shut your trap. You've all been hunting me for awhile now, foiling plans, reducing my group, but you're here now, trapped, and I have use of this, you're all the perfect hostages _and_ exactly what I need." Nobody said anything as she took a moment to sit and face herself to the cages. "As a reward for finally smoking me out, i'll let you in on what's going on. You may call me Tapir, and my goal, is the Crystal."

******

"The Crystal!? Is she _absolutely_ insane!?" Eiko fumed.

"What does she want with it?" Tem asked.

"Said she's had her heart set on using it for a long time. She didn't elaborate further on how or why, but she needs to get there first. Told us that she reached a point in the Iifa Tree where she can't move the roots any further, so she planned on just digging til she hits it, but she lacks the power to do it. She can't fully summon the Eidolon, only partially tap into its power, allowing her to move the roots." Cinna answered.

"And she sent you here with demands..." Tem sighed. "Because she overheard Mikoto mention how I go through similar fatigue, connecting the dots." 

"She threatened to pull the roots out from underneath all the cities if I tried to go for help, and I believe she's fully capable of doing it. She wants you or any other mage powerful enough to supply her with enough energy to fully summon the Eidolon. She's giving us three days before she starts torturing everyone...!" Cinna shook his head in defeat. Holly felt her blood boil as everyone in the room fell silent. Tapir, the woman Holly despised, had randomly selected Cinna which she thought was a crew hand and sent him here on Mikoto's airship to fetch Tem. The tension in the room was heavy as everyone waited on Tem's next thought. 

"You know, I got my name because of a word I couldn't pronounce when I was a child. The philosopher that was in charge of my care constantly described me as 'tenacious' which I mispronounced as 'Temacious' whenever I tried to utter it. I was so stuck on learning magic while he tried to push me to study on how to be a proper lady, just in case my mother ever came back for me. But I couldn't be moved from my studies. I wanted to prove that I was more than a discarded waif, prove that I could be something, and excelling in magic was the path I was determined to follow. I made great discoveries with hopes of using them one day, finding my greater purpose, but this _**Tapir**_ thinks she can just demand my skills? This is not what I trained for, and I refuse to let her extort all of us like this."

"But, she has so many of our friends and family!" Nini fretted. 

"I know, but there's also so many of us here. A summoner who doubles as a white mage, her apprentice, a Dragon Knight, a Black Mage, and three Gaians who know their black magic. We can surely come up with something if we all brainstorm! We're not helpless, we can figure this out!"

"NO! We are not getting the kids involved!" Eiko proteseted. "If anything happens to them-"

"It'll be on us." Keahi cut her off. "Eiko, our parents are being held hostage and you want us to do nothing about it!? That's pretty rich coming from the girl who was _six_ when she helped take down Kuja!"

"Also, Faye and I technically aren't kids, we don't need you making decisions for us anymore." Ferrington fired back.

"But-!"

"Eiko," Nini slid his hand under her's. "It's okay, let us figure something out. You've done a great job watching over us, but it's time to let go a bit. We'll protect each other, right?"

Eiko looked down to Nini and then to all the other in attendance. They were determined, she being the only one with doubts. "I know that all of you will watch each other's backs, but i'd never be able to face Freya and Amarant again if anything happens to you. If any of you try to do anything heroic, anything outside what we come up with, i'll make you into a servant at the castle for life, got it!?" They all nodded and Eiko relented.

"Let's go over what we know. Gil go get the diagram of the Iifa Tree we drew up last year." Tem ordered.

"On it!" Gilgamesh ran over to a basket of scrolls and started digging.

"Cinna, you saw the state of the tree and where everyone is being held, yes? Once Gil has it open, I want you to mark where the cages are and how many are in each." 

Gilgamesh procured the diagram and quickly draped it over Tem's desk. Everyone gathered close while Tem passed a drawing tool to Cinna. "It's just below the surface, there are three cages, two on the right and one on the left, here and here." Cinna circled the areas. "The one on the left has all the airship crew which is twenty-four people. The top right has only Zidane and Mikoto while the bottom right has everyone else." Cinna finished his explanation and tallied the numbers beside each circle. Overall, there were thirty people in need of a rescue. 

"Alright, now we brainstorm. First things first, i'm going to be the bait regardless, she needs me and we don't deny her that for fear of the consequences."

"But, Tem-!" Holly protested.

"No buts! Holly, I can take care of myself and we need to do this. However, if you have any indication on her level of magic outside the roots, it'd be good for me to know."

Holly did her best to trust her sister as she started digging into her more unsavory memories. "...I think she's a Red Mage. She taught me the basics of black magic but also cast silence on me once when I tried to rebel. I'm not sure how high her spells go, but we can guess at least to level 2."

"Noted, i'll have to be prepared for any ailments she might try to cast. Now to the meat of the plan. We're going to have to immobilize her abilities, and i'm not just talking about a silence spell, she'll expect that."

"What do you mean then?" Faye asked. 

Tem turned her eyes to Eiko in response. "Ms. Fabool I have a question about your Eidolons."

"And that is?"

"You have Carbuncle at your disposal, yes? It was the barrier around the entrance to the Iifa Tree that begat a Ruby. Is it possible for you to reinstate the barrier?"

"I mean, I suppose I could. What are you getting at?"

"Could you do it on maybe a grander scale? As in, a barrier over all of the tree, roots included?" 

Eiko's mind clicked into what Tem as proposing and she tried to figure out the possibilities. "...I see where you're going with this, but I don't think it'd work. We'd seal the roots from her control, but we'd end up trapping everyone inside. Plus, I think the barrier itself would cause stress to the roots around Gaia, maybe shifting them. It's a good idea in theory, but there's too many risks." 

"I see. Do you have any other Eidolons that could have a similar effect? Anything to take the roots from her control." 

"...No, i'm sorry. Everyone else I can summon is purely attack based, the same goes for Dagger."

" _I believe I may be of service._ " A voice rang out, causing everyone but Eiko to jump. Catoblepas materialized behind the group, his stature and girth practically filling the room. 

"Woah! And who's this!?" Tem gestured to the creature. 

"Catoblepas." Eiko answered as she approached him. "We found him in Mt. Gulug, haven't had the time to give you all the details." 

" _If you are seeking a way to stop the tampering of the roots, I believe I can be of service. My abilities allow the petrification of whatever my target may be, and it can be made permanent if you seal me within said target._ "

"That... might just work!" Tem confirmed. "Would the petrification effect anything else? We can't have our hostages turning to stone."

" _If I am sealed into the Iifa Tree, only the tree will be affected, not it's surrounds or those inside._ "

"Wait, what about Midgardsormr? It's abilities are moving earth around, wouldn't it still be able to have control? You're just converting it to another type of earth." Faye questioned.

" _The difference being that it will be under my influence. Only one who can communicate with me and me alone would be able to move them. This woman's powers are nothing._ " 

"...You're really OK with being sealed away again? I just freed you after who knows how many years!" Eiko protested. 

" _It is fine, young one. I am hardly useful otherwise. If I can prevent another tragedy, then I am satisfied with my fate._ "

Eiko took Catoblepas' snout in her arms, resting her forehead on the jewel protruding from his head. "Thank you, we owe you one. I'll unseal you once everything is over."

" _Nay, leave me. The Iifa Tree's rot will continue if you take me from it. I wish to remain there, that it's plague will no longer infect this planet._ "

"...That's going to be a real lonely existence. If it's what you want, then so be it. However, it's my duty to keep tabs on the Eidolons, so i'll make sure to visit you when I can."

" _You are too kind._ "

"I guess that settles part of the plan." Tem pulled out her journal, taking notes.

" _Not quite, i'm afraid. I am in need of your aid_ "

"Oh, and why's that?"

" _I am in a weakened state after so long being sealed in the depths of Mt. Gulug. It is not to say that I cannot complete the task partially, but to get full control of the tree, I need more power._ "

"...How much power are we talking here?"

" _Many of you are mages. If you focus a spell akin to me into my gem while my summoner calls upon me, my powers will be amplified. It is an old trick the Moles used to do when there was an obstacle they couldn't overcome on base power alone._ "

"Just like how we stacked spells!" Nini exclaimed. 

"Yes, it's sounds like a similar method, only you're focusing on his gemstone while Eiko is summoning. It'll take a bit more concentration. If Catoblepas petrifies things, the spell to amplify his ability would most likely be Break. Do you three know that spell?" Tem questioned. Nini nodded while Holly and Keahi shook their head. "Well, learn it. We're running out of time. There's a staff called the Cypress Pile that the shopkeeper on the second level might have lying around. It holds the power of Break in it. Both of you go check with the shopkeeper and I want Nini to coach you through it even if he doesn't. Got it? Go." 

The trio nodded to each other and were off. "Next, getting everyone out of the tree and to safety. There's thirty bodies down there, most of them civilians. I'm open to suggestions here, because i'm stumped." 

"We can use the ship I brought with me, it'll easily house them." Said Eiko.

"Getting them up there is the hard part. Guess you don't know any spells to make them instantly pop onto the ship?" Gilgamesh prodded Tem.

"If only. Teleport spells are tricky, Terran in origin. The Black Mages used pods that allowed the spell to be used - later revealed as Terran tech, but we don't have any of those lying around nor do we have an army of mages. Kuja also had Black Mages use it with the help of glyphs in his palace. They had catalysts, we dont."

"...What a lazy bum, he could use the spell himself just fine! Making the Black Mages go through all the trouble...!" Eiko growled. 

"You're referring to the end of your journey, when he teleported you all away from that... creature?"

Eiko shifted her weight uncomfortably remembering Necron. They had purposely left most of its detail from Memoria, not wishing to ignite fear among the populous. Everyone agreed that no good would come of describing its features, mantra, and threats. They instead briefly described a strange creature after their lives once Kuja was defeated, including Kuja's choice to save them all. Many philosophers tried to bring it up now and then, but their lips were sealed.

"He used the last of his energy to save us after all the trouble he put us through. We teleported just outside the Iifa Tree while he planted himself inside, ready to die. You know the rest, you read it."

"I wonder if the spell is taxing, that's why he had the Black Mages use it instead of exhausting himself?" Tem pondered.

"It doesn't matter, none of us can use it, let's move on." Ferrington tried to move the conversation forward. 

"...I can use it." Everyone turned to look at the sudden new voice. Mr. 555, who had been there all along had finally spoken. "I can use the Teleport spell."

"You can?" Tem raised a brow.

A blue, glyphed circle fell over Mr. 555 and then reappeared next to Tem, Mr. 555 rematerializing. The group was in shock. "Yes, it is possible for me."

"How!?"

"We don't have time for me to discuss the specifics. Just accept what you have seen."

"O-okay... Um, how many people can you teleport at once?"

Mr. 555 stopped to think for a moment before answering. "Including myself, nine at a time. My magical energy completely drains by that point."

"So, four trips at least. We just need to figure out how to get your magical energy back up..." Tem wrinkled her brow in thought.

"I can restore it with my Dragon ability; White Draw. The civilians aren't going to need their magic energy, they're a pool I can use. I can also carry a straggler or two out if it comes to that." Ferrington proposed.

"And I can heal anyone who's wounded when they arrive on the airship!" Faye added. 

Tem let the breath in her chest out as she wrote the specifics out in her journal. "Then all that's left is for me to keep her busy until everyone is evacuated. Alright, I need some space. I'm going to refine the plan. You all get some rest or practice strategies." Everyone shared a glance with one another and nodded. "We'll reconvene at dawn."


	45. Smiles

The gondola's waves disturbed the peaceful morning waters as Rose silently rowed. The ripples made Alexandria Castle's sword dance comically as it's reflection struggled to retain it's normalcy. A quick memory of her childhood arose. One where she laughed at the very same sight while she sat on her mother's lap, her father rowing the gondola with more vigor, trying to incite more laughs. Once she thought the memory irritating, embarrassing even, but now it brought her a small smile. Her time apart from Tucker had given her time to reflect. While the sinking feeling of his tearful rage still haunted her, she decided to focus on her task at hand, and keep most of her worries for the future. The thought of attending school in Lindblum scared her on various levels, but she had no choice but to accept it. She would have to face Keahi and Holly again, not to mention the classrooms full of strangers that were to be her peers. Rose wiped away nervous sweat mixing with the present brought on by exertion, docking the gondola. 

"Good morning, Rose, you're certainly early today." An Alexandrian knight greeted her. 

"Good morning, I was told that more steeple's materials arrived after I left and the workers continued through the night. I need to check their progress." 

"They did indeed. Have a good day."

"You as well."

Rose wondered to herself which expression the knight was wearing under her polite mask as she walked away from her. Her falling out with Tucker has spread like wildfire through the castle. Everywhere she went she heard a mixture of whispers, mostly those who pitied their broken relationship, but there were others about how deserving she was of her punishment, some even 'happy' to have her out of the way. Her knight persona would have usually let everything bounce off of her, used to the Alexandrian Knights being gossipy, but she was back to regular old Rose, the girl who let everything get to her. 

"I'm not going to cry today...!" She muttered under her breath, frustrated and tired. She turned the corner into the Alleyway only to find herself stuck in place. Her mother was having a conversation with Ruby, what looked to be like a report by the pad of paper in Beatrix's hand.

"Thanks a ton fer helpin' out, I appreciate it." 

"It's nothing. If this unruly guest shows himself again at another performance, alert us immediately. I will have the knight on patrol keep an eye out."

Rose tentatively approached, genuinely curious, but not wishing to interrupt. Ruby noticed Rose's presence first and beckoned her over. "Mornin' Rose! How many times does this make now, us runnin' into each other this time ah' day?"

"I've lost count, most likely around twenty."

"At least!" 

Rose turned to Beatrix and saluted. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, a drunkard has been hitting several of the businesses with obnoxious behaviour. Nothing you need concern yourself with. My retinue will handle it. I take it your are off to the steeple?"

"I was told they made a lot of progress last night, so i've come to see for myself."

"They did indeed. I'm sure you'll be impressed. I must be off now, good day." Beatrix quickly left the alley and out of sight, Ruby shaking her head at the exchange. 

"Ya'll are so stiff! Ain't nobody here but lil ol' me!"

"We're on duty, we have to be 'stiff'."

"Still! You two hardly seem like family when you talk to one another like that!"

"It can't be helped..."

"Ah' know, ah' know! Say, how are things with you and the Prince? Did ya'll make up yet?"

Rose looked away. "No, I don't believe we ever will."

"Now that's ridiculous! You listen here, ain't the end of the world, havin' a spat now and then. Heck, did ya know Zidane and Blank used to be at each other's throats _all the time?_ "

"Really? They get along so well every time I've seen them interact."

"Oh darlin' it wasn't always that way! They would disagree over somethin' stupid, start gettin' physical, and if Baku was out, it was up to Cinna and me to break it up! It never helped that Marcus was _always_ on Blank's side. Cinna usually ended up in the crossfire, takin' a punch, and would he ever _cry!_ " Ruby snorted a giggle as the memory resurfaced. "Anyways, my point is, you see how they are now, like brothers. Let things simmer, darlin', this ain't forever! Now run along, we both got work to do!" Ruby playfully pushed Rose.

"R-right, thank you, Ruby."

"Ain't nothin' to thank me fer!" Ruby waved before descending into her Mini Theatre. Rose entertained the thought of her and Tucker making amends as she turned the corner towards the steeple. She was once again stuck in spot, this time in awe of the steeple's shape. It looked done from this distance, but as the worker's tools were still in the area, there must have been a little more left.

 _'I'll have to tell Kupo she'll have a home again soon!'_ Rose excitedly thought, knowing Mosh would also be happy to have his own space back. She started her approach again, doing her best to take in the steeple's entirety. Rose was shocked at how similar it was to its predecessor. From the brick work to the stained glass windows, it felt like she was visiting an old friend as she entered the interior. Fond memories of Zidane's pep talk resurfaced as she did a full circle, almost as if she could still hear his sudden authoritative burst that instantly dried her tears. Her thoughts turned back to being anxious as she reached the ladder, remembering Tucker desperately pushing her up it as the flames tried to overtake them. She peeked upward to see the reason for the steeple's halted completion. The bell was not yet in place. Rose recalled commissioning the blacksmith in town for it and made it her next job to go check on his progress. A gust of wind flew through the tunnel and played with Rose's hair, as if inviting her up the ladder to fully experience the bluster. She grabbed the pocket watch from her breast pocket and confirmed the time; too early. There was no harm in taking in the morning atop the roofs, was there? Rose remembered she had to check the rooftop anyhow and started her ascent. The new ladder's varnish sparkled in the sunrise as Rose reached the top, demanding her attention to the the sun's current position. Her heart stopped as her sight was blocked by a familiar figure. Tucker's back greeted her and blotted out most of the sun from her view. While her mind raced as to why he was leisurely enjoying the sunrise on top of the steeple, she grasped one of the random answers in her logic and tried to quietly descend the ladder, not wishing to disturb him. 

"Do you really think it's just a coincidence i'm up here while you're doing your check? Get back up here." 

Rose froze. She wasn't expecting to hear his voice so soon, let alone it actually directed at her. Tucker lazily pat the shingles next to him, inviting her to sit.

"Come on, we gotta talk."

"R-right now?"

"I've got an hour before I start drowning in paperwork with Mom and the workers are off today, this is the only time you and I actually have to ourselves." Rose took the last few steps of the ladder and sat where her prince had commanded, waiting for whatever else he had in store. "It looks great, you did a good job organizing everything."

"Um, thank you."

"So, is all your righteous indignation gone? Because if it's not, we're gonna have problems in our future."

"I'm not going to hurt anyone anymore. What I did was wrong, and I will one day prove myself past it so I can stand by your side again."

"Rose, you don't need to be a knight to be by my side. I prefered when were classmates, you helping me with my homework and me helping with your duties."

"That can't really happen anymore."

"In the castle, yes, but we're going to be classmates in Lindblum. No need for royal titles and ranks there!" Rose grimaced at the mention of the schooling, Tucker taking notice. "What, not keen on going to school with the masses?"

"...I think it's a waste of time. I could be here, working and training. My Father and Dr. Tot already tutor us so we can balance our predetermined lives, why mess with it? Why pretend to be what we're not?"

"You are looking at this entirely wrong. That's the exact reason we're enrolling, to break away from our roles, to gain empathy for the 'common' folk. We get to start our lives anew, a blank slate. For five days a week, we get to be normal teenagers. No duties, no sword drills, no trying to remember which damn spoon goes in the tea while the other is for desert-"

"It's the left one."

" **They look the same!** " Rose held back laughter, thinking about how this was the first normal conversation they had held since the steeple incident. Tucker was never this fiery before, but she could see his that both of his personalities had blended together. His mannerisms were similar to his original timid nature, but his speech was highly reminiscent of Zidane, commanding people's attention away from his faults. "Anyways, one of the main reasons i'm here is even is because I found out our class assignments, they were mailed to Mom and fell in my lap among the sea of paperwork. To put it bluntly, i'm in Keahi's class and you're in Holly's. They send out the class assignments for the sole reason of making sure all parents are fine with the setups. They can request changes if they think something might impede their child's learning. But, I think that's stupid so I just threw it in the fireplace!"

" **WHAT!? Prince-!** "

"Better start dropping that 'prince' stuff now. You and I are going to be there undercover, so to speak. No one's gonna know our origins, our parent's wishes. No special treatment. Just Tucker, like the old days. Try it out."

"T-T-Tucker, why did you throw out the class assignment page!? Do you really think keeping me in Holly's class is a good idea!?"

Tucker turned his head to Rose, his face in disbelief. "Are you gonna threaten her again?"

"N-No..."

"Are you gonna attack her?"

"NO! I'm not going to hurt her!"

"I know, but your aversion to her is still there. I know my Dad gave you a good talk and that you're getting over everything. Don't you think this'll help?"

"I suppose..." Rose sighed. "If you think we're going to be friends however, I don't see that happening."

"I never said you had to get all buddy-buddy with her, just make things right. She's certainly done her fair share." Tucker gestured to the steeple. "No one is gonna like everyone. Keahi isn't particularly fond of Ferrington for example."

Rose felt her chest tighten as a few painful words started to leave her lips. "Tucker... Do you... Dislike me?"

Tucker was quiet as his expression softened. He moved his attention away from Rose and back to the sunrise as he spoke. "I meant everything I said after the party, but the reality is that i've been adopted into the royal family of Alexandria. I do need protection now and then, even though I may not wish it. What you did that night, though wrong, I know you did half in your own rage, and half for my sake. And while I'm against anyone bullying someone for my sake, I know that you care for me. When I was a page you always helped me, even when Steiner was against it, you stood fast for me, for your friend. After the incident, your loyalty went through the roof, my friend disappearing and in her place, a loyal but overprotective knight appeared. You're too kind, Rose, I've always thought so, but i've never seen it as a fault, not even recently. So, no, Rose, I don't dislike you, I'm just disappointed that you allowed your kindness to be knit with rage."

"I promise you, it will never happen again...!" Rose blinked back her tears.

Tucker turned to her, meeting her eyes for a moment before pulling her into an embrace."I know, I know that it won't. We're young, we make mistakes, but I know you well enough to trust your words. You just gotta show everyone else the same Rose that I know."

Rose felt herself relax into his arms, his words chasing away her doubts. This was her only option, her future actions needed to trump her previous. Though not her prefered solution, she finally accepted this. "...I will. If it takes me sauntering around in a dumb school uniform then so be it!" She muffled into his shoulder. 

"Oh come on, school's gonna be great! You'll see!" 

"You're just excited because you'll get to see Keahi all the time."

Tucker pulled away and went back to his previous position, Rose doing the same. "Well, that is part of it." He admitted. 

Rose smiled, the rising sun adding warmth to what Tucker's embrace had brought. "Um, Tucker?"

"Yeah?"

"...Thank you."


	46. Questions

"Don't go any further than this until I give the signal, okay Gil?"

"You don't have to tell me twice! I'm not gonna let a root swipe at us!"

"Just don't crash the damn ship." 

"That's what Cinna's here for! Get going already!" 

Tem left the bridge behind and entered onto the airship's exposed deck where everyone was waiting for her. They were a mix of nervous and determined as she met them. "Alright everyone, listen up! The Iifa Tree is on the horizon and inside it, is one insane bastard keeping thirty people hostage! Many of which are our family and friends. Her demands we'll meet, but on our own terms. Let's go over everything once more so we're all on the same page. Mr. 555 and I will descend into the Iifa Tree, where I will use Cait Sith to incapacitate her. Once that passes, I will fire the signal flare, and Gil will move the airship closer as Eiko summons Catoblepas with Keahi, Holly, and Nini's help. As soon as Catoblepas is sealed within the Iifa Tree, Mr. 555 will begin teleporting eight hostages out at a time, civilians first." 

She turned to Crescent siblings and continued. "Once he's back on deck with them, Faye will be on healing duty while Ferrington will take their magical energy with White Draw so he can replenish Mr. 555's pool. You two will repeat this until everyone is back here safe and sound. If their magic energy isn't significant enough, then Faye will cease healing duty and you'll take from her instead. There's no time to be chugging ethers, we need to be quick and continue the pattern without delay. While i'm still down there, i'll be using the one Elixir we could afford to keep my energy up and Tapir busy while you all do your part. She might very well kick my ass, but my goal is her eidolon's gemstone. Even with the Iifa Tree from her power, I don't want her getting any ideas, so it'd be best to crush her dreams of reaching the Crystal along with Midgardsormr's gemstone. Are there any concerns before begin?"

Nothing but the whir of the airship replied. "Very good, get in position! Let's put an end to this!"

******

Amarant groggily grunted, the fog in his mind struggling to dissipate. The instant he tried to move his arm made it clear, it's crude splint not enough to stop the pain.

"You're finally with us." Freya whispered. "Don't try to move and whisper if you need to speak. Our captor has an awful temper."

"...The hell is going on?"

"We're in cages, most of us injured. The woman we've been chasing gave us her name, her goal, and her demands." 

"That being?"

"Tapir, she desires the Crystal, and she sent Cinna off to fetch Tem, so she can use her to summon the eidolon that moves the roots. We have one more day until she finally loses patience and starts doing something worse to us than she already has." 

"And we can't do a damn thing?"

"No equipment, all able bodied are weak and injured, and any resistance has been met with injuring whoever the perpetrator was. Zidane's in pretty bad shape right now. He got a little too mouthy with her."

Amarant glanced upwards to see Zidane resting the cage above him, his tail hanging weakly through a crack. He met Mikoto's eyes and she shook her head in reply. Amarant moved his gaze over to Tapir herself, leaning back on a root, drumming her fingers on crossed arms. She yawned as if she was bored. 

"This is ridiculous. All of us taken down by one hag." 

"The 'hag' can hear you." Tapir glared at the cages. "You'd all best not push your luck, my patience is wearing thin. Two days should have been plenty. Where _is_ that mage I ordered? Well, if I have one more day to burn, I may as well use it. You, Genome girl." Mikoto met Tapir with a glare. "I want you to answer some questions. I had this revelation while waiting and you're going to confirm or deny it. I'll shake your cage again if you don't."

Mikoto looked down to the resting Zidane with pity and he answered with a weak nod. "...What do you want to know?" 

"You Genomes, what are you made of?"

"...We are the similar to other humanoids. Flesh and bone."

"Ah, but similar doesn't mean the same. I'll ask again; what are you made of?"

"Terran elements, things I couldn't even begin to explain to someone who's never seen them. They are brought together and we were manufactured in the image of humanoids, down to every detail."

"Okay, fair enough, but answer this. With Terra being such a _magical_ place, how many of those 'elements' were magic based?"

"...I'm not sure I fully understand the question." 

"I'm asking how much magic was involved in your construction. How much of your body is made of magic. You weren't conceived like regular children, you were begat from other means, like monsters from the Mist. Terra was said to house great magic, and with that magic, one man created the Genomes. I want to know how much of your body is made of that magic."

"...Why?"

"Because, if my mage doesn't show her face by tomorrow, i've decided to do a little experiment. If you two are in fact made of magic like I think you are, then I can use you as catalysts for summoning instead. I'm not fond of killing people, but if I need sacrifices, then I need them." 

Mikoto's glare grew more intense while Zidane pushed himself up to join the conversation. "You're insane, it wont work." He replied.

"With just two of you, maybe not, but if memory serves, there's a whole village nearby teeming with Genomes. I'm sure I could manage _something_ with that many!"

" **You-!** " Mikoto snapped. "We are not tools! Our lives have meaning **and I won't let you hurt them!** " 

"How adorable, remember where you are, sweetie. Maybe I should try it out now as a trial-" The sudden appearance of a blue glyph near Tapir made her jump back. She drew her knife as Tem materialized, the ladder ignoring her fright, taking in the Iifa Tree's surrounds before facing Tapir. "Who are you!?"

"I'm Tem, the mage you demanded."

"Oh, I guess two days was plenty afterall! Quite the entrance, i'd like to know how to do that myself!"

"If you can't summon an eidolon properly then you can't even dream of being able to do it."

"...Cheeky thing, aren't we? Might I remind you of your position right now? You're not the only option I have, just my most prefered." 

"Then let's get this over with. Ive been told you want to dig down to the Crystal. We have quite the journey ahead of us, but if we follow my instructions, it'll be relatively easy. Are you ready to go?"

"Girl, i've been ready for over ten years for this day! Umpteen worthless kids couldn't grasp the power I knew they had, no matter how hard I tried to force it out of them! You disappoint me and i'll do the same thing I do to every other failure that's been before me! Do you got that, girl!?"

"You were kidnapping children for their magic potential?"

"That and whoever was useful. There were so many damned orphans after the war, no one noticed if we snagged a few, and no one cared. I gave them food and shelter and they replayed me with failure. So are we done with story time? Help me summon, **now!** "

Tem held back her vitriol and sighed. "Alright, but there's one thing you need to know before we go through with this."

"Yeah!? Get on with it!"

"The only failure here is you." Mr. 555 dropped from above, kicking Tapir backwards as Tem poured her magic into the diamond. "Cait Sith, I actually need you this time, I'm sure you know why!" He appeared and instantly wasted no time in hopping over to Tapir, giving her a firm punch as confusing stars whirled around her head, completing the spell.

" **AUUGH! WHAT THE HELL!?** " Tapir bellowed holding her eyes in pain. "You _bitch_ you're not getting away with that, **Where are you!?** " Tapir's Gemstone glinted and a few stray roots swung at air, trying to find their target. Tem made note of their positions as she prepared the signal flare, knowing they would all rush her at it's sound. She pulled the trigger and the deafening whistle echoed through the Iifa Tree, into sky, finishing it's ascent with an explosion.

"Hold on kids!" Gilgamesh called out as he switched gears, the airship's speed growing.

"I'm taking off the limiters, give it full power!" Cinna ordered.

Eiko held out Catoblepas gemstone while Nini, Keahi, and Holly all placed their hands on it. Magic whirled around them as the Break spell filled the gemstone, causing it to shine. "Is this enough, Catoblepas?" Eiko asked.

" _No... I need more. Continue to cast, I will alert you when the prerequisites are fulfilled._ "

They continued to cast as the airship closed the gap between them and the Iifa Tree. Holly fell to her knees, exhausted. "I can't do anymore! I'm sorry!" She wheezed.

"I'm close to my limit too!" Keahi added.

"Catoblepas, how much more!? We're closing in!" Eiko pleaded. 

" _...You will not make it in time with only one mage supplying power._ "

The glow around Keahi stopped and he joined Holly. "Dammit, Ferrington, I need you to-!"

" **NO-!** " Nini's voice rang out. "We stick to the plan! I can do this!"

"Nini, Catoblepas just said-"

"I know what he said! But I can do this, I promise! You just have to trust me!"

"Nini..."

"All my life, i've wondered why i'm still here, what my purpose is, and I know now that it's this. I've stayed alive this long for this moment, so I can help save the people my Dad loved! So that I can face him knowing I did my best, _**knowing that i'm worthy to be called his son!**_ " Light engulfed Nini, Trance taking over. The Break spell was doubled, the speed of its inclusion as well. Everyone watched in awe as magic overflowed from Nini's fingers, causing the gemstone to shine violently. 

" _...Now, the time is now!"_

Eiko held the gemstone aloft, uttering the incantation. "Beast with eyes of a demon, as your master, I command you, become one with the cursed tree. Make it an immovable rock, fill this land with it's support, and never again leave it!" Catoblepas' roar shook the air around them, shattering the gemstone.

"...Yes!" Tem breathed through her fatigue, tired from dodging Tapir's blinded root whips. 

"The hell was that!? What did you do now!?" The spell's effects wore off, Tapir's sight returning. " _ **There** you are...!"_ She seethed, Tem in her sights.

"Tem! On your left!" Mikoto cried out. 

Tem's eyes shot to Mikoto's voice instead of the charging root, resulting in her being swept upwards by her legs. Tapir maliciously grinned, taking the opportunity to slam Tem into into one of the tree's walls. Tem couldn't hide her terror as she flew through the air, nor her pain as she whimpered after the impact. 

" **TEM-!** " Mikoto howled. 

"Shut **up!** " Tapir demanded as Mikoto and Zidane's cage shook again. "You see what heroics get you!? A whole lotta pain for you and your friends! Tell me where that boy is who kicked me and I MIGHT let you down!" Tem's position allowed her a perfect view upwards, a dry, grey wave was sweeping through the tree. It wouldn't be long until it reached them. She started laughing, the plan was going swimmingly and she was glad, despite the pain she felt. "And what are you laughing about!? Tell me where the kid is or i'll _give_ you something to laugh about!" The roots constricted around Tem's legs and she bit back a scream as she felt something break. 

" **STOP IT! Leave her alone!** " Mikoto screamed. 

"You _really_ like being shaken around, don't you!?" Tapir's gemstone glinted, Zidane and Mikoto braced for impact, but nothing came. 

"...What...? Why aren't they moving...?" Tapir's head whipped back to Tem. " **WHAT DID YOU DO!?** "

"Oh, you know, got an actual summoner to seal an eidolon into the Iifa Tree so you can't use it anymore!" Tem grinned through her pain. "In other words; sucks to be you. You're finished."

"If you think that taking the roots away from me will delay your death-" Tapir hummed with magic, a powerful spell on her fingers. "You're sorely-!" A sudden spell hitting Tapir's back stopped her thought. She turned to it, seething, to be blinded by a light. Pieces of petrified root flew past her face as a glowing Mikoto emerged from a hole in her cage, smoking from the remains of her spell. Mikoto's rage endured as did her Trance as she approached Tapir.

"You kidnap me, using me as bait for everyone else. You threaten my people with death for your own gain. You should have stopped when I asked, because for hurting my friend who came for me, **i'll gladly show you how much magic i'm made of!** "

Terran writing circled around Tapir's feet, an unknown spell emerging from it and exploding, Tapir hardly dodging it in time.

"Damn, what a woman!" Blank watched in awe.

"Don't fall for her, bro." Marcus teased.

"What power...!" Freya marveled. 

"She _was_ mine and Kuja's replacement!" Zidane added. "I always wondered what you were hiding..."

"As long as she doesn't blow us all up, I don't care who does in the hag." Amarant watched keenly.

While Tapir sized up Mikoto, Tem motioned to where Mr. 555 was hiding and he nodded in reply, teleporting the first eight of the crew out with himself. "What-?" Tapir noticed the glyphs flash. 

"Eyes on me!" Mikoto bellowed and hit Tapir back into a hardened root.

Mr. 555 arrived on the airship with the first batch, everyone breathing a sigh of relief at the airship crew's confusion. Faye cast a mass cura spell and tried to calm everyone down. "Please hurry, things are getting a bit crazy down there." Ferrington easily transferred the energy to Mr. 555, the crew members not even noticing. Mr. 555 glanced over to Eiko cradling a lifeless Nini, dread setting in. "What's wrong with Nini!?"

"Mr. 555, go back into the Iifa Tree and get everyone else." Eiko sternly replied. Mr. 555's heart sank he approached Nini. " **Mr. 555!** " Eiko's harsh voice stopped him. "He didn't give his all for you to stop halfway!" Turmoil swirled within him as he struggled to start the teleport spell again. 

"Come on, you gotta go! You just said it's crazy down there!" Keahi pleaded.

"...Guys, don't be pushy..." Nini's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Nini...!" Mr. 555 went to his side. "You're alright!"

"Yeah... Just a little spent. I think I saw Dad, and all my brothers. They looked surprised, so I think they were telling me to live a little longer. I'll be right here, Mr. 555. Please, can you please keep going? I'm fine, don't worry..."

"Will you stop moving again once I leave?" Mr. 555 asked.

"I promise I won't. You gotta keep going, everyone needs you."

Mr. 555 wiped away his tears. "...Alright, i'm off. I'll be back soon. You promised!"

He returned to the Iifa Tree to find Tapir barely standing, Mikoto's rage yet to subside. He merely shook his head and took the next eight up, Nini giving him a thumbs up as he returned. "You're doing great!" Holly encouraged as Ferrington did the exchange again.

"I know, two more trips!" The last eight of the crew members happily gathered around Mr. 555 and he finished the third trip. 

"You're looking a little pale, kid. You alright?" Ferrington asked while doing the third transfer.

"I'm fine, just one more trip, hopefully." 

Mikoto's Trance fading greeted Mr. 555 as he returned. Tapir's body was bruised and broken, yet she still tried to sit up. "Are you done? Got all your anger out?"

"If she has then i'll gladly take a turn." Mr. 555 joined Mikoto's side. "My friends have endured enough of your idiocy, and you almost killed one of them today. Try your luck, because i'm in a foul mood."

Tapir spied the tail on Mr. 555 and let herself collapse. "I shoulda' gone with killing all of you instead of this. You ruined everything...!" 

Mikoto knelt down to Tapir and snagged the Gemstone, shattering it, throwing the shards down below before looking up to where Tem was still hanging. "Good, a pathetic being as yourself would have never been able to use the crystal anyhow. Tem, what do you want to do with her? Take her with us?"

"Uhhh, wasn't planning on it! I didn't even think about us taking her out of here to be honest!"

"I'll take her with me to Alexandria." Zidane slowly slid out of the cage, landing on the ground with a small grimace. "She'll rot in the dungeon for the rest of her days. Can you send her up with everyone else?"

"I suppose..." Mr. 555 grumbled.

"I really appreciate it. I'll want you to fill me in on what even went on here today too, especially your magic."

"That is not an easy spell to master." Mikoto added. "I have my questions as well."

"You could easily master it, don't play stupid." Mr. 555 asserted. Zidane snickered at Mikoto's annoyed look. 

"Does that goes for me as well?"

"No, I believe you were once told that you were too stupid to use magic." Mr. 555 smirked at Zidane's shocked expression.

"I- how do you-? I never mentioned-" 

The blue teleport glyphs overtook everyone else. "However, i'm sure you're at least smart enough to figure this out."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://youtu.be/LwZs2iyTijw?t=4m59s
> 
> ;)


	47. Futures

Freya shot awake at the sound of knocking. She steadied her breathing as she tried to figure out where she was. The surrounding room was familiar to her, she had been in it many times. Lindblum's inn near the air cabs.

"Mom? It's me, Ferrington. I'm coming in." He opened the door and nearly jumped at seeing Freya staring back at him. "You're awake! You didn't reply, sorry for barging in."

"It's fine, Ferrington. Could you explain to me what i'm doing here?"

"The castle ran out of places to put people, so you were brought here. I'm in the middle of doing a check on everyone outside the castle as i'm one of the few not injured and not needed elsewhere." Freya blinked tiredly, trying to remember everything after the rescue. "How's your foot?"

Freya looked down to the bandages and tried in vain to move it, pain shooting through her. "Broken, I believe." 

"It won't be for long. Eiko and Faye are making their rounds right now. Tem taught them how to combine their Cura spells and it made this huge, heal-all-wounds spell called Curaja. Pretty darn powerful considering Tem had a broken leg and is now walking around normally."

"Everyone is fine?"

"Yep. Had a bit of a scare with Nini, but he's up and about. I need to go check on Mr. Coral next, are you alright here? Want me to order you breakfast? ...Why are you glaring at me?" 

"Ferrington, have you completely forgotten that I told you not to do anything reckless!?"

"I told you i'd 'try'. You was taken hostage by a maniac and you wanted me to do nothing? Our hands we're pretty much tied, you know that."

Freya sighed and lay back down, her current position not blending well with her pain. "I am well aware, I am just frustrated that I put you and Faye in danger."

"Don't be, we willingly put ourselves into it. You'd do the same for us. Be as cross as you like, but that's just how things are. I'm gonna head out now, Dad's been contacted and will probably be here soon. I'll see you later."

"Ferrington, wait." Freya pushed herself up to face her son.

"Yeah?"

"You have my thanks for your aid. I am proud of you." 

"Huh, I thought you were angry?"

"I am, but I am also in awe of how much you've grown in such a small time frame. Mind your mother's babblings as she sorts herself out. The past few days are not one any of us should repeat."

"It's alright, Mom, rest up. Be sure to give Faye some praise too, you know how she is."

"I will. Please send my regards to the Corals."

******

Lani leaned her head onto the wall as she watched her husband slumber, a few pained groans leaving him as he occasionally shifted. She was both angry and glad for his and their children's safety, but she couldn't decide on which emotion she should convey to Amarant when he woke. She had easily chosen to ground Keahi and Holly, but not before she had lovingly embraced them, thanking them. From what she got out of them before they hit their pillows, their recklessness helped save Amarant. Lani made a mental note for them to have a proper conversation about putting themselves in danger as she started to nod off. Her light slumber was eventually interrupted by a framilair hand cupping her face. 

"Lani."

Her eyes fluttered open, her brow furrowing as she met Amarant's gaze. She had chosen anger. "You are _such_ an idiot...! I thought you'd made me a widow when the soldiers carried you in last night!"

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, you'd better be! To think that Keahi and Holly had to help haul your ass out of fire! You got caught by the very woman you promised them you'd take down! They're grounded for life and i'd do the same to you if I could!"

"I messed up, you have every right to be upset. I'm not happy the kids got themselves involved either, but we all owe them. I think i'm officially done with fighting, for good this time."

Lani placed her hand over Amarant's and leaned her cheek into his palm. Her anger was cooling, an oncoming sigh started the release. "Your arm looks like it was stung by fifty bees."

"It hurts like it too." 

Lani smiled at his quick, blunt response. "Did I hear right that Mikoto was the one who ended up beating the everloving snot out of her? Tapir or whatever?" 

"You heard right. Everyone there definitely put her on a list of 'who to not piss off'. Didn't think she had it in her."

"No kidding, she looks so small and frail. I'll have to go thank her for giving the beatdown i've wanted to for quite some time..."The conversation ceased as their eyes met again. Lani's heart softened as she let Amarant pull her towards him, obliging him a few kisses. She laughed into the last one she allowed before pulling back. "Slow down, you need to rest. I'm glad you and the kids are safe, Red, I am, but until you can actually embrace me properly and pay me back for all the grief, you're in the doghouse. I'll be crashing on the couch so I don't roll over on your arm or anything."

"...Pretty sure i'm the one who would be on the couch if i'm in the doghouse."

"As if you'd fit on it horizontally! The point is; rest. That's all you have to do to get back into my good graces."

"Fair enough, I'll take it."

"Good. I'll go make some breakfast." Lani's shut the door behind her and she paused to listen for Keahi's snoring before going downstairs. Hearing his steady rhythm confirmed her thoughts that he'd still be sleeping and Lani assumed the same of Holly, only to find her at the dining room table, staring at a blank page, quill resting on her chin. "You're supposed to be in your room, young lady." 

"S-sorry... I just came down to get some paper, and then you and Dad were talking when I went to head back up. I didn't want to interrupt anything so... Um, i'll head back up now!" 

"No, stay and help me with breakfast seeing you're already here."

"Okay, what needs to be done?" 

"Start with the table." 

Holly moved the paper from the table and went to the cupboards, fishing out everything needed. Adding one more than usual again was something she would have to get used to with Amarant being home. 

"Who were you writing to?" Lani asked.

"Cornelia. I told her i'd let her know when everything got resolved. I was having a hard time trying to start it though..." 

"Why's that? You usually write your letters to her so quickly."

"W-well, it's just..." Holly's lip quivered, trying to find the right words. "Is... It really over? It just feels so unreal. I should feel happy but, all I can think about is her somehow escaping, coming back and- _and-!_ " Holly put her hand over her mouth, choking her words back. "I'm sorry, I should be past this by now...!" A few tears slipped out. " _I'm so sorry-!_ "

"Holly, Holly! It's alright, love, come here!" Lani pulled Holly into her embrace. "She's done, love. She's never coming back."

"I really hope so..." Holly sniffled into Lani's shirt.

"I _know_ so. She's gonna be tried for all her crimes and rot in a cell for the rest of her days. It's alright, Holly. You don't need to force yourself to pretend you're fine, alright? No one is expecting everything to just be perfect now that she's caught. You, Tucker, and all the other kids have a lot of healing to do, and we're here for you. Take all the time you need."

"...Thank you."

Lani pulled away and wiped Holly's tears, taking a moment to admire her new eye "Tem did a great job on this, careful your tears don't make it slip out!" Holly laughed at the thought, drying the rest of her tears herself. A soft rapping on the front door had her dry them even faster. "I'll get it, don't worry." Lani pushed Holly back into the kitchen. 

"Hello! It's Ferrington Crescent here on behalf of Eiko Fabool!"

"Aw, geez! Right now!?" Holly groaned, turning her back to the door while Lani rolled her eyes and opened it.

"Hello Ferrington, please come in." 

"Thanks, i'll be quick. Is Mr. Coral doing alright?" 

"He'll live. Gonna be awhile before that arm heals!"

"Actually, i'm here to tell you Eiko and Faye have perfected a strong healing spell and are making their rounds to all the injured. It should patch him up nicely."

"Is that so? I'll be sure to expect them today."

"Also, Holly's presence has been requested at the palace. They need her to properly identify Tapir, for records sake, that she's not an imposter."

"...What? I saw her yesterday on the airship! It's her!" Holly turned around. 

"I know, I believe you, but they need to hear it from your mouth. I know it's silly after everything, but it's a procedure they need to go through. She's never really shown her face until now, so identifying her is up to you. Tucker's at the palace right now but with his memory issue in the past, they don't think asking him to be reliable. They're gonna take Tapir away as soon as you finish. I'll go with you if you'd like. Just take a quick peek and it'll be over."

"Even though i'm grounded right now, I guess I have to go..." Holly sighed.

"Come on, love, just go and come right back. This might help you know? Give you a bit of closure." 

"Yeah, maybe it will... Let's go."

******

"Mercy, mercy!" Zidane winced at his son's grip. "I just got healed but i'm still a bit sore, kiddo!"

"Mom is _so_ mad at you, i'm just preparing you for the worst!" Tucker eased up on the hug.

"I can imagine. I might need to roll out a sleeping bag on your floor for awhile."

"Oooh, sleepover! Wait, are you planning on using my room as a safe haven? I promised Steiner I wouldn't let you hide in it, he has many words to share with you."

"Good grief, guess i'm going to be babysat for awhile. It wasn't any of our faults, we got taken by surprise! Do they think I intentionally went and got myself hurt?"

"No, but this is the second time you've gone into the Iifa Tree with bad results. Mom just about had a heart attack when Eiko radioed the info over. Oh right, before I forget, she wants to personally thank Mikoto and everyone on the rescue team for their bravery. Maybe getting a head start on organizing that will soften her anger."

"Possibly, I have a meeting with Mikoto in a bit anyways so i'll pass it along. I should actually get going. Thanks for picking me up, Tucker, i'll be back at the Red Rose soon. Keep an eye out for Holly and guide her, okay?"

"You got it! Thanks for finally getting her put away. It means a lot to me and all the other kids too."

"Hardly did anything, kiddo! Thank your aunt when we get her to the castle!"

" _Regardless_ of who took her down, you went out after her with the intention of bringing me closure and justice, and that means a lot. So, again, thanks Dad."

Zidane ruffled Tucker's hair. "It's what i'm here for. Protecting your child's happiness and future is what all parents should strive for. It's my pleasure and it always will be." 

"Your Highness, Miss Mikoto requests your presence in the conference room!" A page approached and saluted. 

"I'm on my way. I'll see you in a bit, Tucker!"

"Yep! Seeya!" 

Zidane quickly made his way to the elevator and took it to the top floor. He spied Mikoto's figure in the conference room and entered in, seeing that the other attendees were also there. Mr. 555 was lazily resting his head on the table whilst Nini was leaning on his shoulder, both fast asleep. "I didn't think I made you all wait _that_ long."

"They're both exhausted. I've been told they helped in getting everyone organized last night upon our return, hardly getting any sleep themselves. They also overexerted themselves, especially Mr. 555 using that spell as much as he did."

"...Mikoto, level with me, how advanced is that spell?"

"Very. Do you recall the portal that took you to Pandemonium? It is similar to it, but that portal was built so the Terrans wouldn't have to use the magic themselves as it became too exhausting to continually use it. There are glyphs like the ones in Kuja's palace that aid in it's usage, but to pull it off with no help is impressive. Only the original Terrans and Kuja are known to have such strength." 

"Meaning a 'normal' Genome shouldn't be able to do it."

"I'll tell you right now, i'm anything but a normal Genome. You wouldn't have called me here if you had no concerns." Mr. 555 replied as he lifted his head.

"Good morning, feeling better?"

"Not really." Mr. 555 gently shook Nini, the small mage drowsily yawning.

"Feeling well enough to talk?"

"I don't see why not. My lack of sleep isn't impeding me to the point of incomprehension. Nini, are you awake enough? You're supposed to hear this too."

"Mmm, yeah, i'm awake. Can we go back to sleep after this?"

"Yes, you certainly earned your rest yesterday, both of you." Mikoto found herself smiling at the drowsy duo.

"We just need to know how you're able to use that spell, Mr. 555. And..." Zidane looked away from them.

"And as to why I repeated something only you have heard. I thought I made things painfully obvious."

"Sorry, but I do a lot better when someone is straight with me. Mr. 555, who are you?"

Mr. 555 leaned his face on his fist, sighing through his nose, as if disappointed by Zidane's question. "I am who I am; Mr. 555, but you're looking for something in our terms, Genome terms. You want all the technicalities, as to how I became who I am, after all, without a soul, how am I acting as I am? And even if I had one, Genomes are created to assume the life of the soul's previous owner, everything beforehand erasing as the soul takes over it's new body. So, Zidane, what do you think? Do I have a soul? And if I do, who's soul have I assimilated?"

Zidane looked to Mikoto who shared his worried expression. "I... I don't know."

"No, you _do_ know. I have his abilities, I have his memories, and I have his wishes. It was neither of our desires to end up like this, but the Crystal rejected his soul, whether is was for his crimes or it being unable to process a foreign element, we don't know. He then drifted through the planet, trying to find a place he could die, repent, anything. He eventually found himself in the village and me being a Genome, ready for years upon years to receive a soul, absorbed him unknowingly. For a moment, he had full control, I had become his new body, but as my memories of my time in the village started to fade, he suppressed himself. He wanted to live, but not like this, not by taking another life. He forced himself to sleep, allowing my body to regain control, only now, his memories were mixed with mine and I now had access to not only his powers, but I was able to tap into all the functions I never had."

Mr. 555's usual blank stare started slipping away as he paused before continuing. "Fear was the first emotion I felt. If anyone figured out who's soul I housed, I felt my death would follow. Love was next, I had grown to care for all my friends in the village, and I didn't wish to disappoint them or leave them. Deception was the only way I saw I could keep staying by their side. I'd pretend to keep being a regular Genome, suppress my emotions, cut my hair as it grew, and thankfully I haven't had a growth spurt yet. The occasional sneer or smile would slip out, but nothing that alarmed anyone. Everything was going fine until Bobby Corwen left us. I had watched too many people I care about leave, I had attended all their burials, pretending to be as I once was, but it was too much for me to bear anymore. Nini brought me here because of my outburst, I knew I would be watched closely, everyone curious about the crying Genome. So I resolved to stop suppressing myself, live my life as I thought I should, and one day reveal myself, using said life as proof of my control, so I wouldn't have to die for housing the soul of Kuja."

Mr. 555's face twisted as he fought back tears. "But you both got caught, everyone was desperately trying to figure out a rescue plan. I didn't want to see any of my new friends sad, so I revealed myself by using his abilities. Everyone is happy now, and if they are than so am I. I really don't want to leave them, but my fate up to you. Perhaps the Crystal will accept his soul this time, so he can finally find proper rest..."

"...You are speaking the truth? Truly?" Mikoto looked upon Mr. 555 with shock. 

"I am, if you want me to detail more of his memories, I can, they're all here." 

Zidane closed his eyes, placing his fist to his forehead in thought, searching for the words he wished to convey. "I don't really see what the big deal is." Nini's voice assured.

"Nini...?"

"Kuja gave you his soul, so what? You just said earlier that you're you, isn't that what matters?"

"But, it's the soul that belonged to the man that created and tormented your father, brothers, and all your people. Doesn't that bother you!? Aren't you upset i've hidden this all this time!?"

"No, all I care about is the boy who tearfully called out my name on the airship yesterday. The one I promised to keep living for. You don't have to be afraid, Mr. 555. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. Dad would have done the same, I know it. You didn't ask for this existence, but you accepted it and chose to live. It's okay, Mr. 555, you're you. The boy who enjoys a good book and loves solitude as much as spending time with your friends."

"...Yeah, that pretty much sums it up, Nini's right. It's a bit hard to take in, but, as soon as Kuja put himself to sleep, it became your soul. You've already proven yourself by what you did yesterday. You put your life on the line to help save us, and that means a lot to everyone involved. His memories and powers are a side effect he probably never meant to happen. It might be hard but, move on from them. You need to start living your life, not in fear of everyone around you." Zidane smiled at his fleeing worries. 

Zidane moved to where Mr. 555 was sitting and knelt down to his level. 

"You can trust me when I say no one will hurt you, not for who you are or what you are. I'll make sure of it." 

"The situation isn't your fault anyhow. I will endeavor to make myself more approachable in the future lest something like this happens again. I could have prevented this grief had just told me when it first happened." Mikoto added.

"None of you are upset...? I- I wasn't prepared for acceptance... I'm not even sure what to even say..."

"Nah, you're like our little brother now! Can't be mad at you if you haven't done anything wrong!"

"W-what!?"

"This _again?_ " Mikoto huffed while Nini giggled.

"Alright Mr. 555, no more moping around! You've got a life to live! No need to be monitored anymore. You're free to stay here at the castle, go back to the village, or whatever you want!"

"Whatever I want? Really?" 

"Yeah! Let your big bro know what you want and i'll do my best to make it happen." 

Mr. 555 fidgeted, unsure how to take in everything. A place popped into his mind, but he hesitated over bringing it up. "Um, well, there is one place, but, I don't think it'd be right to ask..."

Zidane smiled at Mr. 555's hesitation. "Come on, try me."

****** 

"I'm sorry about this, Holly. I wish my word was enough for them."

"It's alright, Tucker. It's just how things worked out."

"I'll go in with you. It's not like Tapir can do anything, but if you need to find identifiers, just let me do it. You don't even need to get close to her." Ferrington reassured.

"Thank you, Ferrington, I appreciate it." 

The three of them entered onto the Red Rose, Tucker leading them up the stairs to the room Tapir was being held in. Two knights guarded her room and saluted as Tucker approached. "I've brought Holly Coral to identify Tapir. Ferrington Crescent is accompanying her."

"Of course your highness, just a moment."

The knight knocked on the door and after a few moments it opened with another knight beckoning them inside. Tucker went in first followed by Ferrington. Holly took a deep breath and released it before following them. She entered inside to see Tapir bound, her hands and feet together, her swollen face matching the carpet colour it was resting on. "A Silence spell has been cast on her and her magic energy drained for good measure, do not worry about her harassment of being in danger. Please proceed." The knight inside instructed. 

Holly tried to ignore the fact that Tapir was trying to make eye contact with her, looking past her. "She should have a mark on her left arm, the group symbol. It's close to her shoulder." Holly disclosed

Ferrington walked over to Tapir and rolled up the her sleeve, finding the mark and showing it to the knight. "That is helpful. Are you also able to identify her by facial features?"

"Must I?" Holly grumbled.

"All we need is your confirmation and you're free to go."

Holly urged Ferrington to prop her up and he did so. She finally forced herself to look Tapir in eye, a malicious grin on her face. Holly reluctantly studied her features, just about to give the confirmation, when her attention was drawn to Tapir's silent, moving lips. _'Nice eye'_ she mouthed. 

Holly felt herself pale as her left eye started paining, as if she was reliving the moment of it's removal. "...It's her." Holly turned to the door, trying to ignore her weariness. 

"Are you certain-"

" ** _Yes...!_ Leave me alone!** "

"Wait a moment-!"

Holly made it halfway down the steps to the first floor, stopping to clutch her throbbing eye, leaning against the wall for support. The pain was soon accompanied by a nauseating heat.

"Holly, are you alright!?" Ferrington placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm going to throw up." She simply replied and then did so. She panted, looking at the mess ashamed. "I'm s-sorry, i'll clean t-this up-"

"No, you won't." Ferrington wrapped one arm around her waist and then picked her up, moving her off the stairs and towards another room. "Tucker, is this room empty? Holly needs to rest. It's obviously the real Tapir, get your knight to back off."

"Yeah, go ahead. I'm so sorry Holly-"

"I'm fine, p-put me down, I need to go h-home, i'm grounded..."

"No, you're obviously not. What you need is to lie down." Ferrington protested as he pushed the door open with his shoulder. He laid Holly down on the bed within and moved back to close the door, hearing Tucker's disapproval with the knight. Holly quitely groaned at the spinning ceiling, silently agreeing that she did indeed need to lie down for a bit.

"This is so dumb..." Holly sighed. "Why am I still letting her affect me...?"

"It's not dumb. Just sit tight and i'll be right back with some water." Ferrington left before she could protest again. The wave of anxiety faded as the ceiling slowly stopped its rotation, Ferrington's return soon followed, water glass in hand. 

"Here, sit up a bit." Ferrington lifted Holly's head slightly as she pulled herself up.

"Ferrington, it's alright, I got it." Holly shakily took the glass from him, allowing a few sips before she set it aside. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, just take it easy, alright? You don't need to worry about your parents getting upset, they'll understand."

"...They always do."

"I'll stay here until you're feeling well enough and then escort you back."

"...You don't have to do that. You've gotta have other things to do."

"Nope, your house was my last stop and my job isn't done until your home. No worries."

"Well, you don't _need_ to stick around, I'll make it back myself. You should go be with your mom or be helping Faye-"

"Holly, stop. I'm here because I want to be. If you think i'm just gonna leave you here, it's not happening." Ferrington sat himself down on the floor, resting himself against the mattress. "Tem and Gilgamesh are taking their sweet time picking an airship anyways. It'll be awhile before they're ready."

"Right, you'll be taking off again soon. Excited?"

"Sure, but I doubt i'll ever get anything close to the rush we went through yesterday. I'll be honest, I almost feel all adventured out, but it'll probably pass once I get going again."

"Just be careful out there. I don't think i'm ready for another rescue mission anytime soon."

"Heh, i'll be fine. I still gotta cash in that prize with you, don't I?"

"It's gonna expire if you don't figure something out soon!" Holly joked.

"Is that so? I guess I should figure out what I want now!"

"Snnrk, I was teasing, take all the time you want."

Ferrington playfully put his hand to his chin, pretending to be in deep thought. He smirked and then faced Holly. "I think I've made my decision."

"Oh? That was fast. And what have you decided on?"

"I want you to set me up on a date."

"...What!?"

"It'll be really simple, I promise."

"No, I don't think it will! I don't know your type nor do I even really talk to anyone outside my family and our overlapping friends!"

"Well, my type are strong girls who are brilliant at pep talks, but a little too independent when it comes to relying on others. There's this one girl I've started to fall for, but I don't particularly get along with her brother and i'll openly admit that her father is a bit intimidating, but I've enjoyed our chats that we've shared, and i'd love to have more in the future. But unfortunately, my wanderlust is having me go far away from her for awhile, and she's grounded, so I can't really ask her out now. That's why i'd like you figure out the specifics, so when I come back, I can fulfil them in any way she wants."

"Are... Are you.. Messing with me...!?" 

Ferrington shook his head, a soft smile in place of his previous smirk. "Can you do that for me, Holly?"

Holly felt a new heat rise in her, this from hot embarrassment as she looked away from Ferrington. "...You're an idiot...! I'm neither strong or independent."

"You're selling yourself short." 

"I just _barfed_ a minute ago!"

"Because you were strong enough to face your fears. It takes a lot of guts to do that, and I respect you for it."

"You respect a broken thing like me..." Holly shook her head.

"Holly, you're not broken. If you want me to back off, I will. The last thing I want to do if make you uncomfortable, or to dislike me."

"It has nothing to do with you, Ferrington, I just believe you can find someone leagues better than me."

"Oh yeah? Who? Every girl in Burmecia bores me. Eiko is many years my senior and _really_ not my type. Who else is there? Rose? She's so stuck to Tucker we already know those two will probably hook up one day! I made my choice back at the ball, it just took me awhile to realize. I know we're not the same race and that might complicate things, but I meant everything I said. Once I've done a bit of adventuring, i'll mail you a letter. Once you're ungrounded, send me a reply with the specifics of where you want to go or what you want to do, and we'll make it a date, OK?"

"You're... _Really_ not helping me recover here! I think i'm dizzier than before!"

Ferrington laughed. "My bad, if you happen to throw up again, i'll take the blame."

" _That's not funny!_ " Holly hit Ferrington with the pillow from the bed, an embarrassed smile in place of her uncertainty. 

******

"Hmm, that one looks pretty good!" Tem admired an airship further down the row in the docks. 

"But it's smaller than our previous one!" Gilgamesh complained.

"So? It looks a lot more sturdier!"

"You're very right in that regard." Cid joined the duo.

"Woah, Regent Cid! Uh, should we bow or something?" Gilgamesh whispered to Tem.

"No need for any of that. My daughter has informed me you're in need of an airship. I was told you crashed your previous into a lagoon. The one you're admiring is a prototype that doubles as a seaworthy vessel."

"How very versatile! It's idiot proof!" Tem jabbed while Gilgamesh crossed his arms with a pout.

"That is one way to look at it. I'm actually hoping to one day build a vessel that can go under the ocean, but it's hit a dead end. There are just some things i'm struggling to make a breakthrough with. We rule the skies, we discovered all the continents, but my thoughts are now brought to the unknown. My daughter mentioned you're the studious type, very well informed in magic not of this world. While i'm more than willing to give you whichever ship you please, how would you like to start a collaboration with me? Take the prototype and use it as you see fit, but if you can improve it and figure out a way to make it closer to my dream, I can promise you'll be rewarded handsomely."

"Heh, I think Ms. Fabool might be singing my praises a little too much, but it sounds like something i'd love to try! Here's to a future partnership!" Tem outstretched her hand and Cid took it, giving it a firm shake.

"I will have it ready for you to launch by tomorrow morning. I will expect reports on your progress from now on."

"Of course! I'll do everything in my power to figure this out."

"Fantastic, i'll look forward to it!" Cid left them and started his way towards Minister Artania waiting for him at the entrance to the docks.

"Don't you think that was a little bit hasty?" Gilgamesh wavered.

"Are you kidding!? This is what I've been studying for! If I can help the Regent with his new ship, our names will go down in history! This is so exciting! We gotta pull out all the reference books when we get back!" 

"Ugh, and break my back while doing it...!" Gilgamesh grumbled. 

Cid chuckled to himself as their conversation faded. "Have you found the book Eiko requested?" He asked Artania. 

"Yes, Sire. I believe she and Faye have just finished their rounds and have returned to their office. Shall I deliver it to her?"

"I'll take it to her, I want to check in on her anyhow. Could you make sure Ms. Tem and her companion make it back to the guest room?"

"Of course, Sire." Minister Artania bowed. 

With that, Cid finished another task on his mental checklist and quickly found his way to where Eiko and Faye were keeping themselves. Eiko's voice weakly answered as he knocked on the door, letting himself in to see her sprawled out on the floor with Faye doing the same on the other side of the room. "Oh, Father, sorry. I know it's undignified to lie on the floor, but I can hardly move i'm so _exhausted!_ "

"Good gracious, you two overdid it! Fatigue doesn't mix well with powerful magic, something to remember I suppose."

"Uh-huh..." Eiko slightly nodded.

"Perhaps I should deliver this later, you needn't do anything else today, my child." Cid eyed the book under his arm.

"No, i'd like to still have it, please." Eiko reached out for it. "I want to confirm something."

"And what might that be? Tell me and i'll look into it myself."

Eiko let her arms drop as she nodded, realizing she was too tired to even flip a page. "Her name, Tapir, I've heard it before, or rather, seen it. The statue in the new Industrial District, the memorial for all the victims, I think I remember seeing it there, but I can't go to check it without being hailed by every citizen that sees me. That book, it's the recording of the plaque on the statue, right?" 

"It is. Leave this matter to me, Eiko, I will get to the bottom of your thoughts. You have done enough, exhaust yourself no further, you too, Faye."

"Yessir." Faye tireldy slurred. 

******

"Hey, Boss! Guess who's not dead!" Blank called out to Baku as he, Marcus, and Cinna entered the hideout.

"Me! Gwahahaha!" Baku answered. 

"Very funny. Do you even know what we've been through the past few days?" Marcus griped. 

"What, did you all get dumped or somethin'?" 

"No! We got kidnapped and held hostage!" Cinna spat. 

"Didja? Well you're all lookin' no worse for wear! Gwahahaha!"

"Unbelievable." Blank shrugged. "We just dropped in to tell you we're all okay. Zidane too."

"Pfft, all of you got your asses handed to you!? Man, you're makin' me want to come out of retirement, I obviously need to re-train ya!"

"Trust me, Boss, this wasn't some normal heist. Think what happened in the Evil Forest and multiply by a thousand." Marcus confirmed.

"Yeah? And who saved the day this time? You all made it back here somehow!"

"That Mikoto chick, Zidane's sis. Ruby's temper is _nothing_ to hers!" Blank marveled.

"...I knew it, you fell for her."

"Can you blame me!?"

"Don't forget about the kid! We wouldn't have gotten out of there without him!" Cinna added. 

"Kid? A kid bailed you out? Geez, you should all be ashamed." Baku shook his head. 

"No way, this kid was crazy, zipping all over the place." Blank remembered. 

"We're home!" Bunce and Lucella ran into the hideout. "Wow! Everyone's here!"

"Hey guys! Welcome back!" Cinna grinned.

"Your brothers are visitin', tellin' me all about how much they stink at their jobs! Gwahahaha!"

"Oooh, how bad was it?" Bunce leaned in.

" **Bad.** " Blank confirmed. 

"Really bad?" Lucella teased. 

"You can't even imagine." Marcus shook his head. 

"But you're okay now! So that's good!" Bunce assured.

"Anyways, there's someone outside to meet you, Boss!" Lucella moved back to the entrance. "You can come in, it's alright!" A small figure poked their head in, slowly moving into the hideout. A hesitant Mr. 555 joined the group, a carefully folded letter in his hand. 

"Speak of the devil! We we're just talking about you, kid!" Blank approached Mr. 555. "Boss, this is the kid who helped save us!"

"U-um..." Mr. 555 hesitated.

"You look like a mini Zidane!" Bunce blurted.

"Uh..." Mr. 555 took a step back.

"Bunce! Don't be so rude!" Lucella chided.

"I, um-"

"So, what brings you here? Got a message from the castle?" Cinna asked.

" **Would you all quit it!?** " Baku snapped. "He's trying to say somethin' and you're all smotherin' him! Shut yer traps!"

Mr. 555 was taken aback by Baku's outburst, but sorrys all around brought him back to his goal. "Um, here. I wanted to deliver this to you." Mr. 555 handed the letter to Baku. "You don't need to answer it right away if you don't want to. You may also reject it if you wish."

Baku eyed Mr. 555 curiously before opening the letter. He quietly read it as everyone in the room wondered what it held. Upon reaching its end, he folded it back and met Mr. 555's eyes. "Are you serious, kid?"

"Yes."

Baku was silent for a moment, running his thumb over the letter's seal in thought. "It ain't no Lindblum Castle."

"I've lived modestly for many a years already." 

"...Yeah, guess yer right." Baku stepped towards Mr. 555, staring him down. Mr. 555 merely blinked in response, making sure not to break eye contact. A smile erupted onto Baku's face as he suddenly ruffled Mr. 555's hair. "Alright kid, I like your guts! Welcome to the troupe!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned Bunce and Lucella in passing in an early chapter (Tucker's introduction) and forgot that they might not be the easiest remembered characters. They're the two kids Zidane encounters in the Tantalus hideout in your first visit to Lindblum. You can also rescue them during the Festival of the Hunt. They seems to be unofficial Tantalus members (Baku even telling them they can only become members if they find some treasure - which is Trick Sparrow wings in their minds!) but I can't imagine Baku shooing them away, especially after the Battle of Lindblum. I personally believe they're his adopted kids just like everyone else in the troupe.


	48. Truths

"I like the way it looks!" Tucker turned around in his mirror, admiring the school uniform.

"Looking sharp!" Zidane adjusted the collar of Tucker's shirt. "You're all ready to learn, make friends, and maybe catch the eye of some gals~"

"That last one seems, unlikely." Tucker reached for the one glove for his bad hand.

"Come on, you just need a little more confidence!"

"Dad, i'm not going to flirt with my classmates, i'm there to learn."

"You never know who might take your breath away~" Zidane winked. Tucker groaned, quickly picked up his schoolbag, and left his room. His mother excitedly greeted him, eager to see her son's attire.

"You look wonderful! I'm so glad it fits you well!" Dagger reached out and smoothed out a few wrinkles. 

"Thanks, Mom. I think i'm all ready to go."

"Not yet!" Quina quickly barreled around the corner. "You need lunch! I made for you and Rose!" S/he held out two paper bags. 

"Wow, thanks Quina!"

"No thanks needed, just enjoy! _I made that celebratory cake I promised and gave you each a slice! Have good day!_ " Quina whispered the last bit and then scampered off. Tucker snickered at the chef's kept promise while his parents wondered the reason for it.

"I take it Rose is already at the airship port?" Tucker asked. 

"I saw her leave with Steiner and Beatrix a little while ago." Dagger confirmed.

"Guess i'd better catch up! See you later, Mom, Dad!" 

"Have a good day!" Dagger called out to his quickly disappearing figure, a twinge of nervousness on her face.

"He'll be fine. He's got Keahi and nobody messes with that kid!"

"I think it's normal for me to be worried regardless..." Dagger sighed.

"I'd be lying if I wasn't a little worried myself, but it's all gonna be okay, Dagger."

"Yes, you're right. I suppose the best way to chase worries away is to distract ourselves elsewhere."

"Oho, I like the sound of that!" 

"With our _duties_ , Zidane."

"...Right." Zidane grumbled, Dagger laughing at his mild disappointment. 

******

"You are to be on your best behavior!" Steiner passed Rose her school bag.

"I know, father." 

"I have faith you'll find this experience beneficial." Beatrix added. 

"...Thank you for thinking of me, i'll do my best to make it worthwhile." 

Steiner looked back to port, checking for the other passenger of the airship. "Where could the Prince be?"

"Here! I'm here!" Tucker turned the corner into Steiner's line of sight. He jogged up to Rose and dropped Quina's lunch into her hands. "From Quina. Don't forget to eat it, _s/he'll know_."

"I'm well aware of Quina's physic food sense." Rose grumbled. Tucker laughed as he boarded the airship, Rose following. She turned back to her parents and gave them a reassuring nod which they returned. There was no need for formalities while she was in this outfit. She disliked it's make, fussing with the skirt as she sat down.

"Seeing you not in armor is rare. I wasn't even sure it was you until I saw your face!" Tucker sat himself beside her. 

"It certainly feels odd. I'm not fond of it, but I have little choice in the matter."

"You'll get used to it."

Rose shrugged as she brought her attention to the window. She hadn't been on an airship since the party in Lindblum. The days flew by after the acquisition of Tapir, Lindblum's school break over and the new semester beginning. It was almost jarring to everyone involved how peaceful things became again, but Zidane knew better than to make the same mistake twice. He teamed up with Cid to have regular airship patrols for all the continents along with ramping up crime fighting, having squads built for every city specifically built for taking down underground organizations blind to the common people's eye. He offered Amarant a position in the Lindblum force, but he promptly turned it down, instead returning to his engineer job. Blank and Marcus happily joined while Cinna decided to balance it with his engineer job after they wore him down. Rose spied the finished steeple as the airship took them out of Alexandria. Her thoughts went to Holly, briefly wondering how she would react to her presence. A part of her hoped that Mrs. Coral moved Holly out of her class, no doubt getting the same handout that Tucker destroyed, but she needed to set things right. Rose further wondered if there would be enough time after school to briefly visit the Coral household so she could properly apologize for her behaviour. The airship soon passed through the South Gate, joining the ever growing sea of aviation. Their ship fell in line with others like it and all docked in the Industrial District near several air cabs. Almost everyone who filed out of the ships wore the same uniform as Tucker and Rose. They blended in nicely as they squeezed onto one of the aircabs with many other children of varying ages. It took them to the Business District and there the crowds all moved towards the pathway to school. Rose watched as individuals would begin grouping up, happily chatting about their breaks or remarking on how displeased they were to be returning to school. A slightly familiar voice stood out among them.

"Who put your hair up?" Nini poked at the low ponytail on Mr. 555's head.

"Lucella forced it on me." Mr. 555 poked at it himself. "She said if i'm going to let my hair grow out, i'll need to keep it up."

"She just wants an excuse to play with your hair! Bunce got tired of her antics a long time ago. Looks like she's made you her next target!"

"I don't particularly mind. It feels different, but not bad."

"It does look pretty good! Just don't let her do pigtails or something else weird!"

"Pigtails...?" Their conversation trailed off into the crowd whilst others arose, these ones pertaining to worries about classmates to what their parents packed them for lunch. Both Rose and Tucker took in their surroundings as they approached the school, Rose out of nervousness and Tucker not wishing to miss out on anything. They both pulled out their schedules as they reached the doors, indicating where their classes were.

"Looks like yours is down a bit." Tucker peeked at Rose's page as he found his class. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Yes, see you." 

Rose saw Tucker exchange an excited wave with an already seated Keahi as she moved towards her class. To her surprise and slight dread, Holly was indeed still assigned to her class. She was busy looking over her schedule as Rose entered the classroom. The moment of shock wore off and Rose moved from her vision, looking for her desk. There were name tags on all of them and Rose found hers near the back of the class, her last name given a strange spelling, most likely to hide her identity along with Tucker's. She sat down and was thankful that Holly's seat was far ahead hers, keeping her hidden. Mr. 555 also entered their class, catching Holly's attention.

"Hey! Nice hairdo!"

"Thank you, Nini said it was nice too."

"You're welcome. I think your seat is a little behind mine, saw your name as I was sitting down."

"Thank you, i'll find it."

Mr. 555 glanced behind Holly, instantly finding his seat two behind her's. Rose couldn't help but think he looked a bit young for the class, but her eyes were drawn to the tail poking out of his uniform. This must have been the Genome boy she'd heard about who saved her king. As Mr. 555 placed his things down, he felt Rose's eyes on him, meeting her gaze. She quickly looked away, wondering if he was informed on her as she was of him. When she glanced back, he was sitting and ignoring her, taking in the surrounds of the classroom instead. It wasn't much longer until the rest of the class arrived and the teacher called everything to order. As Rose expected, everything taught were subjects she was already proficient in, but as it was only the first day, she decided not to disregard anything as useless, aptly taking notes. The bell for lunch made Rose jump and all her peers quickly filed out into the school's yard, money or lunches in hand. A quick glance at her schedule revealed that this was first lunch for all the even number classes while the next bell would start second lunch for the odd number classes. Tucker's was an odd number, leaving Rose alone for lunch. She wondered if she could just stay in the classroom to eat, but she was quickly shooed out, her teacher babbling on about the perfect weather and that Rose should be out to enjoy it. Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, Rose sat far away from all the formed friend groups, unpacking Quina's prepared lunch. 

"Hey, hey you!" A voice called out. 

Rose looked around for the source she seemingly thought was demanding her attention. "...Yes?" Holly's voice answered.

"You've got the same last name as Keahi, what's up with that?"

Rose looked to her right to see Holly by herself, being approached by two boys from their class, one of which holding a ball. "Keahi is my brother."

"What!? Since when?"

"Wait a minute..." The other boy squinted at her. "You're that trash girl!"

"...Excuse me?"

"Yeah, I remember you! Digging through the trash like an animal before you got caught! Where've ya been? That was forever ago!"

Holly looked irritated. "It's none of your business."

" _You_ were digging in _my_ home's trash first, so it does make it my business, 'Trash Girl'!"

"Ha! Trash Girl!" The other boy repeated.

Holly didn't reply but instead started walking away from the boys, directly towards Rose. She only took a few steps before realizing Rose was in her path, stopping her stride. "Hey, I was talkin' to you!" The boy spat.

"Well i'm done listening." Holly replied. Something snapped in the boy. He tossed the ball at Holly's head, the impact jostling her prosthetic eye onto the cobblestone as she buckled under the impact. Rose immediately went to the fallen eye as it bounced to her. " **Ow! What is wrong with you!?** " Holly swiveled back to the boys. 

"EWWW! She only has one eye!" 

"Gross! Gross-AHHH" A sudden blue aura surrounded the boys, lifting them into the air. Mr. 555 approached them, the same aura flowing around his outstretched hand. The boys quaked in fear as they struggled to reach the ground.

" **Apologize.** " Mr. 555 demanded.

"WE'RE SORRY! _WE'RE SORRY! **LET US DOWN!**_ "

The aura instantly disappeared, dropping the boys onto the ground. They scampered off crying in fear, threatening to tell the teacher, though it seemed no one witnessed it besides the three remaining at the scene. "Are you alright, Holly?"

"I'm fine, thank you, but I lost my eye. My left one, it's fake..."

"I'll help you look for it."

"...It's right here." Rose held out her hand, the shaped blue gem shimmering in the sun.

Holly turned sharply to Rose's voice, unsure how to react to the girl who once threatened her, now hesitantly approaching. She stopped a few steps in front of Holly and offered her back the eye. "...Thank you." Holly took it, rolling it around in her palm, looking for any damage. 

"It's... It's nothing..." The two girls refused to speak further, though both having many things to say. Mr 555's bluntness instead broke the awkwardness.

"Why did you just watch?" He asked Rose. "I was on the other side of the yard, and I've been told by Nini who the troublemakers are, so I ran here as soon as I saw them harassing Holly. But you just watched the entire exchange, being feet away from it!" 

Rose looked away, her regret mixing with her rebellion. "Mr. 555, it's alright." Holly turned away from Rose. "She has her reasons."

"That doesn't matter!"

"It's okay, just forget about it, please?"

"...Alright. Let's take you to the nurse's office."

"The school has one of those?"

"Yes, Nini apparently spent much time there in the past..." Their conversation continued as they walked away from Rose. The mixture of Mr. 555's chiding and Holly's civil attitude made Rose's feelings bubble up within her. The time was now.

"Um, wait-!" She called out. Holly glanced back tentatively. "The steeple it's... it's finished. I was in charge of it's reconstruction. You should come and see it..." Holly smiled slightly, giving Rose a nod before continuing her trip to the nurse's office with Mr. 555. Rose let out a noise of frustration as they entered into the schoolhouse. " _AUUUGH-_ WHY CAN'T I JUST APOLOGIZE!?" She pulled at her hair. "She's being so polite about it too! Rose, you insensitive jerk!" 

Rose sank back down to the ground, Quina's lunch still waiting for her. She put it in her lap as she continued unpacking it, reminding herself she'd be seeing Holly daily from now on. There'd be more chances to make amends. A rather ornate item was carefully packaged and Rose peeled it's wrappings off carefully, wondering what Quina snuck into her lunch. A large piece of cake similar to birthday cakes she had in the past greeted her. She pondered the occasion as she greedily ate her frustrations away.

******

Dagger moved onto the next task in her slowly shrinking pile of paperwork. Most of them where petitions while others were reports of various issues in the kingdom or in the continent. With Zidane engaged elsewhere for the time being, she made it her goal to get through the current pile before he returned. Her focus was taken away by the sound and vibration of an airship docking. Glancing up to the clock revealed only a few hours had passed since the children's departure. She rose from her seat and started towards the source of the sound, hoping it was just a cargo ship and not the fears in the back of her mind. She was met by an unfamiliar, grand airship upon reaching the docking area. Just as her mind began to wonder it's owner, Eiko stepped out of it. She gave the crew a few orders before approaching Dagger with a bundle of papers under her arm. 

"Hi! Sorry for dropping in so suddenly. I needed to come and talk with you and Zidane. Father decided it'd be the best time for me to try out the Eiko Garde II on my trip over, so, here it is!"

"It's certainly larger than the previous!"

"Yeah, Father went a little overboard with safety features, seeing the last one got pulled apart into pieces." Dagger shook her head, remembering the state of the Iifa Tree when she went to assess it's new form, pieces of the Eiko Garde I sprinkled all around the now petrified roots. "Anyways, I know you're busy, we all are, but can we talk for a bit? It's about the scum rotting in your dungeon. Father and I figured out who they are." 

******

"I'll be close by if you need me." Zidane opened the door to the dungeon. 

"I know, thank you Zidane, but I wish to handle this myself."

"Just remember, they chose this path and you chose yours. Their tragedy doesn't validate their actions nor does the blame lie on you." Dagger nodded and descended the steps, her eyes set on the far cells housing the goons. They both looked up at the sound of her footsteps, foreign compared to the those of the knights that patrolled.

"Huh, the Queen herself. What's the occasion?" One of them mocked. 

Dagger stopped herself in front of their cell, trying to meet both of their gazes. "Biggs and Wedge Tapir, I wish to speak with you."

Both of their eyes widened confirming Eiko and Cid's findings. "H-how...?" Biggs started.

"Shut up!" Wedge punched Biggs in anger.

"The Regent's findings were right it seems. You did a decent job covering your tracks, but it wasn't hard to pick up the few pieces you did leave behind. Your boss dropped you surname in the Iifa Tree as her given, probably not expecting any of her captives to make it back. Her aim was the Crystal, our planet's lifeforce and creator." Neither of them replied, both avoiding eye contact. 

"January 25th, 1800; The Battle of Lindblum. You two along with your brother, Jessie Tapir, were all doing your jobs. You two both guards for the castle while Jessie had a job in the Industrial District. The Eidolon, Atmos, that was stolen from me, attacked the city and took the Industrial District. You abandoned your posts in grief while his widow was given the bad news. The information we found stops at this, but in your grief, you went down the wrong path. Started a thief group, perhaps in mind of survival or rebellion, but after the release of Memoria, it became less tame and more violent. For over a decade, you collected children you could mold to your liking, so you could eventually reach your goal; the Crystal." 

Biggs and Wedge kept their glances away from the raging queen as she continued. "Am I wrong? Children like Tucker whom you picked up early could fit into places easily and help you acquire whatever you pleased. Children like Holly who had untapped magic potential that could help your boss with her summoning. She phased out anyone deemed useless or dragged back anyone who knew her true colours and fled. The three of you secretly ruled this continent for awhile under our noses, but as we interfered, you got sloppy, and your boss abandoned you as well, deciding to take everything upon herself, tired of failure. My one question is, what did you hope to accomplish by reaching the Crystal? Why was your desire for it was so strong you didn't care who you hurt to reach it?"

"Heh, what does it matter now? You got us and you got her. The dream is dead." Biggs grunted. 

"Did you wish to destroy this world?"

They were both silent, guilt started to weigh heavy on their faces. "...No, we just wanted him back in it." Wedge answered.

Dagger looked on them with disappointment. "So many lives you needlessly ruined just for the chance to bring one back? There is no guarantee that the Crystal would have even heeded your wish, yet you blindly charged forward with false hope. Would your brother have approved of such methods!? Torturing children just so he could be reborn!? You have torn families apart! You've preyed on ones who earned your trust! Did you think by deciding not to kill any of them made it all justified!?"

"Queenie, not everyone got their happily ever after like you." Tapir's voice echoed from the hanging cage. "We wanted Jessie back and we knew we'd have to work to get him. We didn't care who got in the way or who we had to be hurt. That man was my world, and there's nothing left here without him. If I had to become the scum of Gaia to get him back, then so be it. No one mattered, nobody. My only regret is my failure after being so close. Now piss off and leave us to rot."

Dagger cast her eyes upwards to the suspended cage, unable to see Tapir's features from her position. "...I know what heartache feels like and I know the despair it brings. You chose to embrace the despair instead of moving forward, and you shall carry it with you until you death. Mrs. Tapir, I pray one day that you'll realize the error of your ways, but I have no desire to witness your revelation. I hope we never have the displeasure of speaking again."

"The feeling's mutual."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The spell that Mr. 555 used in this chapter can be seen here: https://youtu.be/S1HnxjHAvFo?t=25m43s
> 
> I also probably don't have to do a 'naming facts' on Biggs and Wedge, but for those who don't know, they're commonly used named in several Final Fantasy games. I couldn't find if they were used in FFIX, so I decided to use them here. There are also a few uses of 'Jessie', but I guess this trio of names is more or less a reference to the FFVII characters sharing the same names.


	49. Letters

_Dear Cornelia,_

 

_How are you? I know it's been only a little while since my last letter, but this one is let you know that i'm finally no longer grounded! It's fine with both my parents for me to visit you once a month if you like._

 

"Red!" Lani called up into a workstation. Amarant jumped down to her, mildly concerned. 

"What'd you come all the way out here for?"

"Your lunch, you forgot it on the counter." She placed it in is hands.

"Sorry about that. Thanks for bringing it over."

"You know I don't mind. I'll see you later!"

 

_I got really good grades on my first batch of tests (so did Keahi) so they decided to finally lift our punishment. It's been ages since i've seen you or my sister, though I know you're both busy as well._

 

" _Pssst, Keahi!_ " Tucker whispered, trying keep the teacher's attention off of them.

"Yeah?"

"There's a Tetra Master tournament coming up in Treno in a few weeks. Are you gonna go?"

"...Sure, i'm not grounded anymore. Have you been practicing?" 

"Tucker and Keahi! Be quiet and save your conversation for lunch!" The teacher chided as they both quickly scrambled to look forward, feigning innocence. 

 

_My sister, Tem, is super busy working on a vessel that can go underwater. I think not having me around has probably helped with her focus, but i'm really eager to see her progress!_

 

"Alright, experiment number, uh, i've lost count..." Gilgamesh started a new talley. "Give it a try, Tem!"

"Roger!" Tem poured her magic into a small contraption filled with water and a mini model of their ariship. The ship sunk properly, but on it's way back up, it's speed caused it to vault violently into the air.

"Yeowch, I wouldn't have wanted to be inside there!" Gilgamesh jumped to catch the model. "What went wrong this time?"

"Hmmm, not sure, but I wonder if we could use that?"

"How!?"

"Dunno! Put it back in and we'll figure this out!"

 

_On a different note, there's something I did recently that I know you'll be interested in. I went on a date! Do you remember the Burmecian boy I danced with at the party? He took me on a trip to Esto Gaza (at my suggestion) where we made snowmen with the local children and lots more._

 

"Here looks fine, Mikoto." Ferrington peeked outside the airship. 

"It is? The Desert Palace is still quite far."

"I want to get there on my own two feet. I know it's general area anyways."

"Very well. How many days until I come to fetch you? Ten like last time?"

"That sounds fine. Will you dock at the palace?"

"I'll do that. Be careful."

"Yep, bye!"

 

_It was a surprise to my family (especially to Keahi) but they let me go with a chaperone. I've not found out yet how his parents feel about the situation, but if we do get serious(we do have another date planned!), i'm sure we'll figure it out._

 

"Freya, you're so wistfully gazing into the distance." Fratley observed. "Does something ail you?"

"No, my love. I am simply thinking of the future. I apologize, my patrol will continue."

"Is it Ferrington's recent letter that has brought this on?" 

"Hah, perhaps. I am happy that he has found meaning in his strength, and I hope their relationship is one that endures."

 

_I also intend to go see the new steeple in Alexandria. I've been told it looks almost identical to the one I destroyed. I think it'd be a good way to help me with moving on, accepting everything._

 

"Reporting in! The squads have detected nothing of note in the previous three nights and ask for further orders." Steiner saluted his King and Queen.

"That's good! Perhaps we should have them assigned elsewhere?" Dagger pondered. 

"Tell them to hold position for a little while longer and then have them do a full sweep. If everything's still fine and dandy, then we'll swap them with the Treno squads, for a change of scenery if nothing else." Zidane recommended.

"Pardon the intrusion," Beatrix knocked and then entered, Quina behind her. "I believe you wished to discuss this year's birthday celebration plans with us?" 

"Will be busy-busy-busy! I need all information as soon as possible!" Quina fussed. 

"I completely forgot about that." Zidane rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"As did I..." Dagger laughed nervously, the couple sharing a tired, but loving look with one another.

 

_I suppose i'm setting myself up to be pretty busy myself in the near future! I wonder if any of us truly know how to relax anymore._

 

"Alright, Faye! We've gotten through the paperwork and nothing else is coming in until tomorrow! What's next on the schedule?" Eiko stretched as she left her desk.

"Let's see... Oh! Your father wants us to go check on Tem's progress in Daguerreo. Seems there's been a large gap since her last report." 

"Sound's good! Any excuse to get out of this office for awhile is fine with me!"

"I'll go inform the crew of the Eiko Garde II to make preparations!" 

"Already done!" Nini burst into the office. "Guess who's been playing hooky?"

"Nini!" Eiko chided. "Father will be upset with you if you're caught!"

"Then let's hurry and go! I haven't been able to ride the Eiko Garde II with you yet! I'm not missing out again!"

" _Somebody_ peeked at our schedule today." Faye smirked.

 

_Anyways, I hope your day is going well. Please say hello to Captain Noche for me and give Fira a nuzzle! Let me know when you wish to meet._

_-Holly_

 

"Letters." Mr. 555 sat down next Holly. "You've been writing them all lunch. Where are they going?"

"Well, this one is for my friend Cornelia, and the other ones are for Tem and Ferrington. Just keeping in touch!"

"You're so diligent, perhaps writing letters should be you hobby." He teased.

"Maybe!" Holly gathered the letters, folding and sealing them properly before resting them on her lap. She cast her eyes to the school yard, quickly meeting Rose's cordial gaze among her group of friends. Holly returned it, happy that they had finally dropped what was between them.

"You and Ferrington should come to one of my performances for your next date." Mr. 555 smirked. 

"Are you trying to show off or trying to sell tickets?" Holly grinned back.

"A mix of both." He admitted, Holly giggling in reply.

"I'll ask him next time."

The school's bell chimed into the afternoon, echoing through Lindblum as far as it could reach. Another lunch had come to an end and a collective grumble spread through the students as they dreaded more classes. Each day was as fleeting as the last, but full of hope for the future, Gaia's prosperity secured once again.


	50. Joys

_-Several Years Later-_

Gizamaluke's Grotto was filled with the noise of celebration. For this solidarity day, it dropped its purpose as a footpath between Lindblum and Burmecia, instead welcoming a happy couple in their marriage. Shadows of eager dancers bounced off the walls as the party endured, more joining, filling up any absent spaces. Some wished to see the new couple close up as they refused to cease their embrace whilst others just wanted the thrill of the party to be memorable. Among the party goers were a few resting on the overpasses, finding that observing the masses was enough. Among them, Amarant tiredly leaned onto an overpass wall, content with view. 

"You seem pleased." A equally tired Freya approached him.

"Your goofy grin spells out that you're more than pleased."

Freya chuckled and took the spot on the wall next to him, taking in the view herself. "...If all those years ago I told you we'd end up with families of our own and then how our respective children would fall for one another, I wonder how 'pleased' you would have looked."

"I would have called you a damn liar."

"Rightly so! I can scarcely take all this in, even with it right in front of me."

The crowds whooped in excitement as Holly reached out to her beloved, planting a kiss on Ferrington's lips. Some clapped for an encore, but Holly cheekily refused, pulling Ferrington into the next dance number. Many others joined them, filling the floor with activity again. Tucker managed to get Rose to dance with him while Nini pulled Mr. 555 into the rhythm. Keahi fell victim to Cornelia's grip and Tem humored Gilgamesh with a dance, a smiling Mikoto observing. Faye was fine to continue her wallflower streak, Eiko close by, pleased to be free of her duties for a day. A quick sweep of the room revealed most of the adults watching just as Freya and Amarant were. Lani, Dagger, and Beatrix shared small talk whilst the same could be said for Fratley, Steiner, and Zidane. The peace, the future they all fought for was enduring, and they basked in it's gentle glow as their children happily welcomed it.

"I was prepared to fight for them." Freya confided. "I thought their union would be looked down upon. No previous record of a human and a Burmecian ever being wed would surely cause a bit of unrest. How wrong I was, everyone so willingly allowed the use of the grotto for their wedding."

"They might have some issues in the future, but i'm sure they can figure it out."

"Indeed, They are both strong in different ways. I know that they can overcome anything as long as they're together." 

The sudden arrival of Quina with a ridiculously large cake commanded the attention of everyone in attendance. Everyone was floored at how large it was, bride and groom included. At the urging of the crowd, Holly and Ferrington moved to cut the first slice before Quina went to work. Holly managed to get a dab of icing on Ferrington's snout before kissing it off, both her and the crowd laughing at his surprise. He quickly retaliated with his own dab, eliciting cheers as he returned the kiss. 

"I don't believe i've ever seen him this happy." Freya snickered at the scene.

"That goes double for Holly. Never seen the kid smile that big."

"I wonder if that's telling us that we've done well. A part of me hopes so, but another wishes I had done more."

"Maybe, but it's not like we were trying to earn a prize. If they're happy, then that's all we need."

Freya nodded, agreeing with the sentiment. "It truly is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You made it! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this fanfiction! There was a lot I wanted to do and a lot I cut out, but this was a story I played with for many years. I'm glad I was finally able to get it out and i'm pleased that I can move on knowing I was able to persevere through this project. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> -Anna


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